fc-20230327x8k
false000088620600008862062023-03-272023-03-27

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):

March 27, 2023

Logo

Description automatically generated

FRANKLIN COVEY CO.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Commission File No. 001-11107

Utah

87-0401551

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

(IRS Employer Identification Number)

2200 West Parkway Boulevard

Salt Lake City, Utah 84119-2099

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (801) 817-1776

Former name or former address, if changed since last report: Not Applicable

______________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[ ]Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ]Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ]Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $.05 Par Value

FC

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. □



Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On March 27, 2023, Franklin Covey Co. (the Company) entered into a new credit agreement (the 2023 Credit Agreement) with KeyBank National Association (KeyBank) leading a group of financial institutions (collectively, the Lenders), which replaced the Company’s previous credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the 2019 Credit Agreement). KeyBank will act as the sole administrative and collateral agent under the 2023 Credit Agreement. The Company’s obligations under the 2023 Credit Agreement are guaranteed by certain of the Company’s domestic subsidiaries. In connection with the 2023 Credit Agreement, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, as applicable, also entered into a Security Agreement, Intellectual Property Security Agreement, and Guaranty of Payment.

The 2023 Credit Agreement provides up to $70.0 million in total credit, of which $7.5 million will be used to replace the outstanding term loan balance from the 2019 Credit Agreement. The remaining $62.5 million will be available to the Company as a revolving line of credit or for future term loans. Principal payments on the term loan will consist of quarterly payments totaling $1.25 million that are due and payable on the last Business Day (as defined in the 2023 Credit Agreement) of each March, June, September, and December until the term loan obligation is repaid. These payment terms are essentially the same as the 2019 Credit Agreement.

The 2023 Credit Agreement matures on March 27, 2028 and interest on all borrowings under the 2023 Credit Agreement is due and payable on the last day of each month. The interest rate for borrowings on the 2023 Credit Agreement is based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) and is a tiered structure that varies according to the ratio of funded debt to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Adjusted EBITDA) as shown below:

Funded Debt to Adjusted EBITDA Ratio

Interest Rate

Less than 1.00

SOFR plus 1.50%

Between 1.00 and 2.00

SOFR plus 1.75%

Between 2.01 and 2.50

SOFR plus 2.25%

Greater than 2.50

SOFR plus 2.75%

The 2023 Credit Agreement is secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries. The 2023 Credit Agreement provides for standard events of default, such as for non-payment and failure to perform or observe covenants, and contains standard indemnifications benefitting the Lenders.

The 2023 Credit Agreement also contains representations, warranties, and certain covenants of the Company. While any amounts are outstanding under the 2023 Credit Agreement, the Company is subject to a number of affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants regarding dispositions of property, investments, forming or acquiring subsidiaries, and business combinations or acquisitions, among other customary covenants, subject to certain exceptions. As defined in the 2023 Credit Agreement, the Company is (i) required to maintain a Leverage Ratio of less than 3.00 to 1.00 and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio greater than 1.15 to 1.00; and (ii) restricted from making certain distributions to stockholders, including repurchases of common stock. However, the Company is permitted to make distributions, including through purchases of outstanding common stock, provided that the Company is in compliance with the Leverage Ratio and Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio financial covenants before and after such distribution. In the event of noncompliance with these financial covenants and other defined events of default, the Lender is entitled to certain remedies, including acceleration of the repayment of amounts outstanding under the 2023 Credit Agreement.

The representations, warranties, and covenants contained in the 2023 Credit Agreement are made only for purposes of the 2023 Credit Agreement and as of specific dates; are solely for the benefit of the parties to the 2023 Credit Agreement; and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the parties, including being qualified by confidential disclosures made by each contracting party to the other for the purposes of allocating contractual risk between them that differ from those applicable to investors. Investors should not rely on the representations, warranties and covenants or any description thereof as characterizations of the actual state of facts or condition of the Company or the Lenders or any of their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, businesses or stockholders. Moreover, information concerning the subject matter of the representations, warranties, and covenants may change after the date of the 2023 Credit Agreement, which subsequent information may or may not be fully reflected in public disclosures of the Company or statements by the Company or the Lenders. Accordingly, investors should read the representations and warranties in the 2023 Credit Agreement not in isolation but only in conjunction with the other information about the Company or the Lenders and their respective


subsidiaries that the respective companies include in reports, statements, and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The foregoing description of the 2023 Credit Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2023 Credit Agreement and the Security Agreement, which are filed as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2 attached hereto.

Item 1.02Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement

The information in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 2.03Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation Under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement

On March 27, 2023, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, as applicable, entered into the 2023 Credit Agreement and Security Agreement with the Lenders as described above in Item 1.01. The information in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)Exhibits:

10.1Credit Agreement by and between KeyBank National Association and Franklin Covey Co., dated March 27, 2023.

10.2Security Agreement by and among KeyBank, National Association and the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, dated March 27, 2023.

104Cover Page Interactive Data File – the cover page XBRL tags are embedded with the inline XBRL document.



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

FRANKLIN COVEY CO.

Date:     March 30, 2023

By:

/s/ Stephen D. Young

Stephen D. Young

Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 101 Final Credit Agreement

 

Exhibit 10.1



==========================================================================================================================================















CREDIT AND SECURITY AGREEMENT





among





FRANKLIN COVEY CO.

as Borrower





THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN

as Lenders





and





KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Administrative Agent and Issuing Lender













_____________________



dated as of

March 27, 2023

_____________________









==========================================================================================================================================

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 



 

 

ARTICLE I.  DEFINITIONS



Section 1.1.  Definitions



Section 1.2.  Accounting Terms

32 



Section 1.3.  Terms Generally

33 



Section 1.4.  Divisions

33 



Section 1.5.  Rates

33 

ARTICLE II.  AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT

33 



Section 2.1.  Amount and Nature of Credit

33 



Section 2.2.  Revolving Credit Commitment

34 



Section 2.3.  Term Loan Commitment

38 



Section 2.4.  Interest

38 



Section 2.5.  Evidence of Indebtedness

39 



Section 2.6.  Notice of Loans and Credit Events; Funding of Loans

40 



Section 2.7.  Payment on Loans and Other Obligations

41 



Section 2.8.  Prepayment

41 



Section 2.9.  Commitment and Other Fees

42 



Section 2.12.  Mandatory Payments

43 



Section 2.13.  Cash Collateral

45 



Section 2.14.  Swap Obligations Keepwell Provision

45 

ARTICLE III.  INCREASED COSTS; ILLEGALITY; INABILITY TO DETERMINE RATES; TAXES

46 



Section 3.1.  Requirements of Law

46 



Section 3.2.  Taxes

47 



Section 3.3.  Funding Losses

51 



Section 3.4.  Change of Lending Office

52 



Section 3.5.  SOFR Rate Lending Unlawful; Inability to Determine Rate

52 



Section 3.6.  Replacement of Lenders

53 



Section 3.7.  Discretion of Lenders as to Manner of Funding

53 



Section 3.8.  Permanent Inability to Determine Rate; Benchmark Replacement

53 

ARTICLE IV.  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

54 



Section 4.1.  Conditions to Each Credit Event

54 



Section 4.2.  Conditions to the First Credit Event

55 



Section 4.3.  Post-Closing Conditions

57 

ARTICLE V.  COVENANTS

58 



Section 5.1.  Insurance

58 



Section 5.2.  Money Obligations

59 



Section 5.3.  Financial Statements and Information

59 



Section 5.4.  Financial Records

60 



Section 5.5.  Franchises; Change in Business

60 



Section 5.6.  ERISA Pension and Benefit Plan Compliance

60 



Section 5.7.  Financial Covenants

61 



Section 5.8.  Borrowing

61 



Section 5.9.  Liens

62 



Section 5.10.  Regulations T, U and X

63 



Section 5.11.  Investments, Loans and Guaranties

63 



Section 5.12.  Merger and Sale of Assets

64 



Section 5.13.  Acquisitions

64 



Section 5.14.  Notice

65 



Section 5.15.  Restricted Payments

65 

1


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 



Section 5.16.  Environmental Compliance

65 



Section 5.17.  Affiliate Transactions

66 



Section 5.18.  Use of Proceeds

66 



Section 5.19.  Corporate Names and Locations of Collateral

66 



Section 5.20.  Subsidiary Guaranties, Security Documents and Pledge of Stock or Other Ownership Interest

67 



Section 5.21.  Collateral

68 



Section 5.22.  Property Acquired Subsequent to the Closing Date and Right to Take Additional Collateral

71 



Section 5.23.  Restrictive Agreements

70 



Section 5.24.  Other Covenants and  Provisions

71 



Section 5.25.  Guaranty Under Material Indebtedness Agreement

71 



Section 5.26.  Amendment of Organizational Documents

71 



Section 5.27.  Fiscal Year

71 



Section 5.28.  Beneficial Ownership

71 



Section 5.29.  Banking Relationship

71 



Section 5.30.  Compliance with Laws

71 



Section 5.31.  Further Assurances

72 

ARTICLE VI.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

72 



Section 6.1.  Corporate Existence; Subsidiaries; Foreign Qualification

72 



Section 6.2.  Corporate Authority

72 



Section 6.3.  Compliance with Laws and Contracts

73 



Section 6.4.  Litigation and Administrative Proceedings

73 



Section 6.5.  Title to Assets

74 



Section 6.6.  Liens and Security Interests

74 



Section 6.7.  Tax Returns

74 



Section 6.8.  Environmental Laws

74 



Section 6.9.  Locations

75 



Section 6.10.  Continued Business

75 



Section 6.11.  Employee Benefits Plans

75 



Section 6.12.  Consents or Approvals

76 



Section 6.13.  Solvency

76 



Section 6.14.  Financial Statements

76 



Section 6.15.  Regulations

76 



Section 6.16.  Material Agreements

76 



Section 6.17.  Intellectual Property

77 



Section 6.18.  Insurance

77 



Section 6.19.  Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts

77 



Section 6.20.  Accurate and Complete Statements

77 



Section 6.21.  Investment Company; Other Restrictions

77 



Section 6.22.  Defaults

77 



Section 6.23.  Beneficial Ownership

77 

ARTICLE VII. SECURITY

77 



Section 7.1.  Security Interest in Collateral

78 



Section 7.2.  Collections and Receipt of Proceeds by the Borrower

78 



Section 7.3.  Collections and Receipt of Proceeds by Administrative Agent

79 



Section 7.4.  Administrative Agent’s Authority Under Pledged Notes

80 



Section 7.5.  Commercial Tort Claims

80 



Section 7.6.  Use of Inventory and Equipment

81 

2


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE VIII.  EVENTS OF DEFAULT

81 



Section 8.1.  Payments

81 



Section 8.2.  Special Covenants

81 



Section 8.3.  Other Covenants

81 



Section 8.4.  Representations and Warranties

81 



Section 8.5.  Cross Default

82 



Section 8.6.  ERISA Default

82 



Section 8.7.  Change in Control

82 



Section 8.8.  Judgments

82 



Section 8.9.  Material Adverse Change

82 



Section 8.10.  Security

82 



Section 8.11.  Validity of Loan Documents

83 



Section 8.12  Solvency

83 

ARTICLE IX.  REMEDIES UPON DEFAULT

84 



Section 9.1.  Optional Defaults

84 



Section 9.2.  Automatic Defaults

84 



Section 9.3.  Letters of Credit

84 



Section 9.4.  Offsets

85 



Section 9.5.  Equalization Provisions

85 



Section 9.6.  Collateral

86 



Section 9.7.  Other Remedies

87 



Section 9.8.  Application of Proceeds

87 

ARTICLE X.  THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

89 



Section 10.1.  Appointment and Authorization

89 



Section 10.2.  Note Holders

90 



Section 10.3.  Consultation With Counsel

90 



Section 10.4.  Documents

90 



Section 10.5.  Administrative Agent and Affiliates

90 



Section 10.6.  Knowledge or Notice of Default

90 



Section 10.7.  Action by Administrative Agent

91 



Section 10.8.  Release of Collateral or Guarantor of Payment

91 



Section 10.9.  Delegation of Duties

91 



Section 10.10.  Indemnification of Administrative Agent

91 



Section 10.11.  Successor Agent

92 



Section 10.12.  Issuing Lender

92 



Section 10.13.  Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

93 



Section 10.14.  No Reliance on Administrative Agent’s Customer Identification Program

93 



Section 10.15.  Other Agents

93 



Section 10.16.  Platform

94 



Section 10.17.  Acknowledgements Regarding Erroneous Payments

94 

ARTICLE XI.  MISCELLANEOUS

97 



Section 11.1.  Lenders’ Independent Investigation

97 



Section 11.2.  No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

97 



Section 11.3.  Amendments, Waivers and Consents

97 



Section 11.4.  Notices

99 



Section 11.5.  Costs and Expenses

99 



Section 11.6.  Indemnification

100 



Section 11.7.  Obligations Several; No Fiduciary Obligations

100 

3


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 



Section 11.8.  Execution in Counterparts

100 



Section 11.9.  Successors and Assigns

100 



Section 11.10.  Defaulting Lenders

105 



Section 11.11.  Patriot Act Notice

107 



Section 11.12.  Severability of Provisions; Captions; Attachments

108 



Section 11.13.  Investment Purpose

108 



Section 11.14.  Entire Agreement

108 



Section 11.15.  Limitations on Liability of the Issuing Lender

108 



Section 11.16.  General Limitation of Liability

109 



Section 11.17.  No Duty

109 



Section 11.18.  Legal Representation of Parties

109 



Section 11.19.  Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions

109 



Section 11.20.  Certain ERISA Matters

110 



Section 11.21.  Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs

111 



Section 11.22.  Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction

112 



Jury Trial Waiver

Signature Page 1





 



 

Exhibit A

Form of Revolving Credit Note

Exhibit B

Form of Term Note

Exhibit C

Form of Notice of Loan

Exhibit D

Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit E

Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement

 

 

Schedule 1

Commitments of Lenders

Schedule 2

Guarantors of Payment

Schedule 3

Pledged Securities

Schedule 5.8

Indebtedness

Schedule 5.9

Liens

Schedule 6.1

Corporate Existence; Subsidiaries; Foreign Qualification

Schedule 6.4

Litigation and Administrative Proceedings

Schedule 6.5

Real Estate Owned by the Companies

Schedule 6.9

Locations

Schedule 6.11

Employee Benefits Plans

Schedule 6.16

Material Agreements

Schedule 6.17

Intellectual Property

Schedule 6.18

Insurance

Schedule 6.19

Deposit Accounts and Securities Accounts

Schedule 7.4

Pledged Notes

Schedule 7.5

Commercial Tort Claims



 

4


 

 

This CREDIT AND SECURITY AGREEMENT (as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified, this “Agreement”) is dated March 27, 2023 among:



(a)FRANKLIN COVEY CO., a Utah corporation (the “Borrower”);



(b)the lenders listed on Schedule 1 hereto and each other Eligible Assignee, as hereinafter defined, that from time to time becomes a party hereto pursuant to Section 11.9 hereof (collectively, the “Lenders” and, individually, each a “Lender”); and



(c)KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as the administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement (the “Administrative Agent”),  and the Issuing Lender, as hereinafter defined.





WITNESSETH:



WHEREAS, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders desire to contract for the establishment of credits in the aggregate principal amounts hereinafter set forth, to be made available to the Borrower upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth;



NOW, THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed as follows:





ARTICLE I.  DEFINITIONS



Section 1.1.  Definitions.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:



Account” means an account, as that term is defined in the U.C.C.



“Account Debtor” means an account debtor, as that term is defined in the U.C.C., or any other Person obligated to pay all or any part of an Account in any manner and includes (without limitation) any Guarantor thereof.



“Acquisition” means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of any Person (other than a Company), or any business or division of any Person (other than a Company), (b) the acquisition of in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock (or other equity interest) of any Person (other than a Company), or (c) the acquisition of another Person (other than a Company) by a merger, amalgamation or consolidation or any other combination with such Person.



“Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR” means, with respect to a Daily Simple SOFR Loan, the greater of (a) the sum of (i) Daily Simple SOFR and (ii) the SOFR Index Adjustment and (b) the Floor.



 


 

 

 

 

“Administrative Agent” means that term as defined in recital paragraph (c) of this Agreement.



“Administrative Agent Fee Letter” means the Administrative Agent Fee Letter between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, dated as of the Closing Date, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Advantage” means any payment (whether made voluntarily or involuntarily, by offset of any deposit or other indebtedness or otherwise) received by any Lender (a) prior to an Equalization Event, in respect of the Applicable Debt, if such payment results in that Lender having less than its pro rata share (based upon its Applicable Commitment Percentage) of the Applicable Debt then outstanding, and (b) on and after an Equalization Event, in respect of the Obligations, if such payment results in that Lender having less than its pro rata share (based upon its Equalization Percentage) of the Obligations then outstanding.



“Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.



“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.



“Agent Parties” means that term as defined in Section 10.16(b) hereof.



“Agreement” means that term as defined in the first paragraph of this agreement.



Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Companies from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA) (15 U.S.C. § 78dd-1, et seq.), as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder).



“Applicable Commitment Fee Rate” means twenty (20.00) basis points.



“Applicable Commitment Percentage” means, for each Lender:



(a)with respect to the Revolving Credit Commitment, the percentage, if any, set forth opposite such Lender’s name under the column headed “Revolving Credit Commitment Percentage”, as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, subject to assignments of interests pursuant to Section 3.6 or 11.9 hereof; and



(b)with respect to the Term Loan Commitment (or the Term Loan if the Term Loan Commitment is no longer in effect), the percentage, if any, set forth opposite such Lender’s name under the column headed “Term Loan Commitment Percentage”, as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, subject to assignments of interests pursuant to Section 3.6 or  11.9 hereof.



2


 

 

 

 

“Applicable Debt” means:



(a)with respect to the Revolving Credit Commitment, collectively, (i) all Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower to the Revolving Lenders pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and includes, without limitation, the principal of and interest on all Revolving Loans and all obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, (ii) each extension, renewal or refinancing of the foregoing, in whole or in part, (iii) the commitment, prepayment and other fees and amounts payable hereunder in connection with the Revolving Credit Commitment, and (iv) all Related Expenses incurred in connection with the foregoing; and



(b)with respect to the Term Loan Commitment, collectively, (i) all Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower to the Term Lenders pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and includes, without limitation, the principal of and interest on the Term Loan, (ii) each extension, renewal or refinancing of the foregoing in whole or in part, (iii) all prepayment and other fees and amounts payable hereunder in connection with the Term Loan Commitment, and (iv) all Related Expenses incurred in connection with the foregoing.



“Applicable Margin” means:



(a)for the period from the Closing Date through May 31, 2023,  one hundred fifty (150.00) basis points for SOFR Loans; and 



(b)commencing with the Consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the fiscal quarter ending February 28, 2023, the number of basis points set forth in the following matrix, based upon the result of the computation of the Leverage Ratio as set forth in the Compliance Certificate for such fiscal period and, thereafter, as set forth in each successive Compliance Certificate, as provided below:



Leverage Ratio

Applicable Basis Points for SOFR Loans

Greater than or equal to 2.50 to 1.00

275.00

Greater than or equal to 2.00 to 1.00 but less than 2.50 to 1.00

225.00

Greater than or equal to 1.00 to 1.00 but less than 2.00 to 1.00

175.00

Less than to 1.00 to 1.00

150.00



The first date on which the Applicable Margin is subject to change is June 1, 2023.  After June 1, 2023, changes to the Applicable Margin shall be effective on the first day of each calendar month following the date upon which the Administrative Agent should have received, pursuant to Section 5.3(c) hereof, the Compliance Certificate (provided that, if the internal financial statements for the last fiscal quarter of the Borrower, as required by Section 5.3(a) hereof, are not consistent with the audited financial statements required by Section 5.3(b) hereof, the Applicable Margin shall be retroactively adjusted upon receipt of the audited statements).  The above pricing matrix does not modify or waive, in any respect, the requirements of Section 5.7 hereof, the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to charge the Default Rate, or the rights and remedies of

3


 

 

 

 

the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Articles VIII and IX hereof.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, at any time after May 31, 2023, (i) during any period when the Borrower shall have failed to timely deliver the Consolidated financial statements pursuant to Section 5.3(a) or (b) hereof, or the Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 5.3(c) hereof, until such time as the appropriate Consolidated financial statements and Compliance Certificate are delivered, the Applicable Margin shall, at the election of the Administrative Agent (which may be retroactively effective), be the highest rate per annum indicated in the above pricing grid for Loans of that type, regardless of the Leverage Ratio at such time, and (ii) in the event that any financial information or certification provided to the Administrative Agent in the Compliance Certificate is shown to be inaccurate (regardless of whether this Agreement or the Commitment is in effect when such inaccuracy is discovered), and such inaccuracy, if corrected, would have led to the application of a higher Applicable Margin for any period (an “Applicable Margin Period”) than the Applicable Margin applied for such Applicable Margin Period, then (A) the Borrower shall promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent a corrected Compliance Certificate for such Applicable Margin Period, (B) the Applicable Margin shall be determined based on such corrected Compliance Certificate, and (C) the Borrower shall promptly pay to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, the accrued additional interest owing as a result of such increased Applicable Margin for such Applicable Margin Period.



Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans, bonds and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.



“Assignment Agreement” means an Assignment and Assumption Agreement entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.9 hereof), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit E, or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.



Authorized Officer” means a Financial Officer or other individual authorized by a Financial Officer in writing (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) to handle certain administrative matters in connection with this Agreement.



“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.



“Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).



4


 

 

 

 

Bank Product Agreements” means those certain cash management services and other agreements entered into from time to time between a Company and the Administrative Agent or a Lender (or an Affiliate of a Lender) in connection with any of the Bank Products.



“Bank Product Obligations” means all obligations, liabilities, contingent reimbursement obligations, fees and expenses owing by a Company to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or an Affiliate of a Lender) pursuant to or evidenced by the Bank Product Agreements.



“Bank Products” means a service or facility extended to a Company by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or an Affiliate of a Lender) for (a) credit cards and credit card processing services, (b) debit cards, purchase cards and stored value cards, (c) ACH transactions, and (d) cash management, including controlled disbursement, accounts or services. 



“Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy”, as now or hereafter in effect, or any successor thereto, as hereafter amended.



“Base Rate” means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Prime Rate, (b) one‑half of one percent (0.50%) in excess of the Federal Funds Effective Rate, and (c) the Floor.  Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.



“Base Rate Loan” means, for purposes of Sections 3.5 and 3.8 hereof, a Loan in each case that shall be denominated in Dollars and on which the Borrower shall pay interest at the Derived Base Rate.



“Benchmark” means, initially, Daily Simple SOFR; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Daily Simple SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 3.8 hereof.



“Benchmark Replacement” means with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for Dollar-denominated credit facilities and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; provided that, in each case, if such Benchmark Replacement as so determined would be less than the Floor, such Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.



“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero), that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due

5


 

 

 

 

consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for Dollar-denominated syndicated or bilateral credit facilities.



“Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the  definition of “Business Day” or “SOFR Business Day” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, length of lookback periods, the applicability of any “breakage” provisions and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents). 



“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:



(a) in the case of clauses (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or



(b) in the case of clause (c) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be no longer representative; provided, that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (c), even if any available tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.



For the avoidance of doubt, (A) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs prior to any setting of the then-current Benchmark, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to such determination and (B) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (a) or (b) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-

6


 

 

 

 

current available tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).



“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:



(a) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof);



(b)a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or



(c)a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such Benchmark (or such component thereof) is no longer, or as of a specified future date no longer will be, representative.



“Benchmark Transition Start Date” means in the case of a Benchmark Transition Event, the earlier of (a) the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and (b) if such Benchmark Transition Event is a public statement or publication of information of a prospective event, the ninetieth (90th) day prior to the expected date of such event as of such public statement or publication of information (or if the expected date of such prospective event is fewer than ninety (90) days after such statement or publication, the date of such statement or publication).



Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.



“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.



“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for

7


 

 

 

 

purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.



“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.



“Borrower” means that term as defined in recital paragraph (a) of this Agreement.



“Business Day” means (a) any day other than a  Saturday, a  Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in Salt Lake City, Utah, Cleveland, Ohio or New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close and (b) with respect to any matters relating to SOFR Loans, a SOFR Business Day.



“Capital Distribution” means a payment made, liability incurred or other consideration given by a Company to any Person that is not a Company, (a) for the purchase, acquisition, redemption, repurchase, payment or retirement of any capital stock or other equity interest of such Company, or (b) as a dividend, return of capital or other distribution (other than any stock dividend, stock split,  or other equity distribution payable only in capital stock or other equity of such Company) in respect of such Company’s capital stock or other equity interest.



“Capitalized Lease Obligations” means obligations of the Companies for the payment of rent for any real or personal property under leases or agreements to lease that, in accordance with GAAP, have been or should be capitalized on the books of the lessee and, for purposes hereof, the amount of any such obligation shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.



Cash Collateral Account” means a commercial Deposit Account designated as a “cash collateral account” and maintained by one or more Credit Parties with the Administrative Agent, without liability by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to pay interest thereon, from which account the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, shall have the exclusive right to withdraw funds until all of the Secured Obligations are paid in full.



“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender or one or more Lenders, as collateral for the Letter of Credit Exposure or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of the Letter of Credit Exposure, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender.  “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.



Cash Equivalent” means cash equivalent as determined in accordance with GAAP.



“Cash Security” means all cash, instruments, Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts and Cash Equivalents, in each case whether matured or unmatured, whether collected or in the process of collection, upon which a Credit Party presently has or may hereafter have any claim or interest,  

8


 

 

 

 

wherever located, including but not limited to any of the foregoing that are presently or may hereafter be existing or maintained with, issued by, drawn upon by, or in the possession of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.



“Change in Control” means:    



(a)the acquisition of ownership or voting control, directly or indirectly, beneficially (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) or of record, on or after the Closing Date, by any Person or group (within the meaning of Sections 13d and 14d of the Exchange Act), of shares representing more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the aggregate ordinary Voting Power represented by the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Borrower;



(b)if, at any time during any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Borrower cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board of directors on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board of directors was approved by individuals referred to in subpart (i) hereof that constituted, at the time of such election or nomination, at least a majority of that board of directors, or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board of directors was approved by individuals referred to in subparts (i) and (ii) hereof that constituted, at the time of such election or nomination, at least a majority of that board of directors;



(c)except as otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 5.12 hereof, if the Borrower shall cease to directly own and control one hundred percent (100%) of each class of the outstanding equity interests of each of its Subsidiaries; or



(d)the occurrence of a change in control, or other term of similar import used therein, as defined in any Material Indebtedness Agreement.



“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any Law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority, or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder, or issued in connection therewith, and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.



“Closing Date” means March 27, 2023.



“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

9


 

 

 

 

“Collateral” means (a) all of the Borrower’s existing and future (i) personal property, (ii) Accounts, Investment Property, instruments, contract rights, chattel paper, documents, supporting obligations, letter‑of‑credit rights, Pledged Securities, Pledged Notes (if any), Commercial Tort Claims, General Intangibles, Inventory and Equipment, (iii) funds now or hereafter on deposit in the Cash Collateral Account, if any, and (iv) Cash Security; and (b) Proceeds and products of any of the foregoing;  provided that Collateral shall not include Excluded Property.



“Collateral Access Agreement” means an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to which a lessor of real property on which Collateral is stored or otherwise located, or a warehouseman, consignor, processor or other bailee of Inventory or other property owned by any Credit Party, acknowledges the Liens of the Administrative Agent and waives (or, if approved by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, subordinates) any Liens held by such Person on such property, and, if applicable, permits the Administrative Agent access to and use of such property to access, assemble, complete and sell any Collateral stored or otherwise located thereon.



“Commercial Tort Claim” means a commercial tort claim, as that term is defined in the U.C.C.  Schedule 7.5 hereto lists all Commercial Tort Claims of the Credit Parties in existence as of the Closing Date.



“Commitment” means the obligation hereunder of the Lenders, (a) during the Commitment Period, to make Revolving Loans and to participate in the issuance of Letters of Credit pursuant to the Revolving Credit Commitment, and (b) to make the Term Loan pursuant to the Term Loan Commitment; up to the Total Commitment Amount.



“Commitment Period” means the period from the Closing Date to March 27, 2028, or such earlier date on which the Commitment shall have been terminated pursuant to Article IX hereof.



“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.



“Companies” means the Borrower and all Subsidiaries of the Borrower. 



“Company” means the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower.



“Competitor” means any Person who directly competes with the Borrower in a principal line of business of the Borrower.



“Compliance Certificate” means a Compliance Certificate in the form of the attached Exhibit D.



“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.



10


 

 

 

 

“Consolidated” means the resultant consolidation of the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, including principles of consolidation consistent with those applied in preparation of the consolidated financial statements referred to in Section 6.14 hereof.    



“Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” means, for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters of the Borrower, as determined on a Consolidated basis, (x) Consolidated Net Earnings plus, without duplication, the aggregate amounts deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Earnings in respect of: 



(a)Consolidated Interest Expense;



(b)Consolidated Income Tax Expense;



(c)Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Charges;



(d)transaction fees, expenses and costs of the Borrower in connection with the consummation of the Loan Documents up to the date that is sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, in an aggregate amount not to exceed Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000);



(e)reasonable and documented transaction fees, expenses and costs of the Borrower in connection with Acquisitions permitted hereunder;



(f)non-cash stock compensation expense;



(g)eighty-five percent (85%) of the net change (from the immediately preceding the four fiscal quarters of the Borrower) of deferred revenue adjustment for the Borrower as evidenced by a company-prepared detailed calculation; and



(h)non-cash or non-recurring expenditures and charges in such amounts as may be mutually agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower; minus



(y)to the extent included in Consolidated Net Earnings, non-cash or non-recurring gains or income in such amounts as may be mutually agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower. 



“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the amount of capital expenditures of the Borrower, as determined on a Consolidated basis.



Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Charges”  means, for any period, the aggregate of all depreciation and amortization charges, including without limitation (a) amortization of capitalized development included in the Borrower’s income statement as costs of goods sold and (b) amortization of intangible assets (including goodwill and capitalized curriculum) included in the Borrower’s income statement, of the Borrower for such period, as determined on a Consolidated basis.



11


 

 

 

 

“Consolidated Fixed Charges” means, for any period, as determined on a Consolidated basis, the aggregate, without duplication, of (a) Consolidated Interest Expense paid in cash, and (b) the current portion of scheduled principal payments on Consolidated Funded Indebtedness (other than optional prepayments of the Revolving Loans), including the current portion of payments on Capitalized Lease Obligations.



“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, at any date, all Indebtedness (including, but not limited to, short‑term, long‑term and Subordinated Indebtedness, if any) of the Borrower, as determined on a Consolidated basis.



“Consolidated Income Tax Expense” means, for any period, all provisions for taxes based on the gross or net income of the Borrower (including, without limitation, any additions to such taxes, and any penalties and interest with respect thereto), as determined on a Consolidated basis.



“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the interest expense (including, without limitation, capitalized interest, the “imputed interest” portion of Capitalized Lease Obligations, synthetic leases and asset securitizations, if any, and excluding deferred financing costs) of the Borrower for such period, as determined on a Consolidated basis.



“Consolidated Net Earnings” means, for any period, the net income (loss) of the Borrower for such period, as determined on a Consolidated basis.



“Consolidated Net Worth” means, at any date, the stockholders’ equity of the Borrower, determined as of such date on a Consolidated basis.



“Consolidated Unfunded Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, as determined on a Consolidated basis, Consolidated Capital Expenditures that are not (a) directly financed by the Companies with (i) Indebtedness (other than Revolving Loans), (ii) Capitalized Lease Obligations, (iii) equity contributions, (iv) proceeds from asset dispositions or casualty/condemnation events, or (iv) reimbursements from other Persons; or (b) acquired in exchange for existing assets.



“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.



“Control Agreement” means a Deposit Account Control Agreement or Securities Account Control Agreement.



“Controlled Group” means a Company and each Person required to be aggregated with a Company under Code Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o).



“Covered Entity” means any of the following:



(a)a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

12


 

 

 

 

(b)a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or



(c)a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).



“Credit Event” means the making by the Lenders of a Loan, the conversion by the Lenders of a Base Rate Loan to a SOFR Loan,   or the issuance (or amendment or renewal) by the Issuing Lender of a Letter of Credit.



“Credit Exposure” means, at any time, with respect to a Specific Commitment, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding under such Specific Commitment, and (b) the Letter of Credit Exposure, if any, applicable to such Specific Commitment.



“Credit Party” means the Borrower, and any Subsidiary or other Affiliate of the Borrower that is a Guarantor of Payment.



“Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day, an interest rate per annum, reset on each SOFR Business Day (rounded upwards in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s customary practices, unless a Swap Contract with the Administrative Agent or a Lender as the counterparty is in effect with respect to the Loans), equal to SOFR for the day that is five (5) SOFR Business Days prior to such day, published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website on the immediately succeeding SOFR Business Day.  If by 5:00 pm (New York City time) on the second (2nd) SOFR Business Day immediately following any day on which SOFR is to be reset, SOFR for such day has not been published on the SOFR Administrator’s Website and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to Daily Simple SOFR has not occurred, then SOFR for such day will be SOFR as published in respect of the first preceding SOFR Business Day for which such SOFR was published on the SOFR Administrator’s Website; provided that any SOFR determined pursuant to this sentence shall be utilized for purposes of calculation of Daily Simple SOFR for no more than ten (10) consecutive SOFR Business Days.  Any change in Daily Simple SOFR due to a change in SOFR shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in SOFR without notice to the Borrower.



“Daily Simple SOFR Loan” means a Revolving Loan made to the Borrower described in Section 2.2(a) hereof, or a portion of a Term Loan described in Section 2.3 hereof, in each case on which the Borrower shall pay interest at the Derived Daily Simple SOFR Rate.



“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions, from time to time in effect.



“Default” means an event or condition that constitutes, or with the lapse of any applicable grace period or the giving of notice or both would constitute, an Event of Default, and that has not been waived by the Required Lenders (or, if required hereunder, all of the Lenders) in writing.



13


 

 

 

 

“Default Rate” means (a) with respect to any Loan or other Obligation for which a rate is specified, a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate otherwise applicable thereto, and (b) with respect to any other amount, if no rate is specified or available, a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the Derived SOFR Rate then in effect.



“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.



“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 11.10(b) hereof, any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans or participations in Letters of Credit required to be funded by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date such Loans or participations were required to be funded hereunder, unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this subpart (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that, a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender, or any direct or indirect parent company thereof, by a Governmental Authority, so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States, or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets, or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of subparts (a) through (d) above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 11.10(b) hereof) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, the Issuing Lender and each Lender.



“Deposit Account” means a deposit account, as that term is defined in the U.C.C.

14


 

 

 

 

“Deposit Account Control Agreement” means each Deposit Account Control Agreement (or similar agreement with respect to a Deposit Account) among a Credit Party, the Administrative Agent and a depository institution, to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Derived Base Rate” means a rate per annum equal to the sum of (a) the Base Rate, plus (b) the greater of (i) the then-applicable Applicable Rate for SOFR Loans minus one percent (1%) and (ii) the Floor.



“Derived SOFR Rate” means a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Applicable Rate (from time to time in effect) for SOFR Loans plus the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR rate.



“Dodd-Frank Act” means the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Pub.L. 111-203, H.R. 4173) signed into law on July 21, 2010, as amended from time to time.



“Dollar” or the $ sign means lawful currency of the United States.



“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia.



“Dormant Subsidiary” means a Company that (a) is not a Credit Party or the direct or indirect equity holder of a Credit Party, (b) has aggregate assets of less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) (or the foreign currency equivalent of such amount), and (c) has no direct or indirect Subsidiaries with aggregate assets, for such Company and all such Subsidiaries, of more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) (or the foreign currency equivalent of such amount).



“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in subpart (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country that is a subsidiary of an institution described in subparts (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.



“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.



“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.



“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.9(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) hereof (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.9(b)(iii) hereof).



“Environmental Laws” means all provisions of law (including the common law), statutes, ordinances, codes, rules, guidelines, policies, procedures, orders-in-council, regulations, permits,

15


 

 

 

 

licenses, judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees, orders, authorizations, certificates, approvals, registrations, awards and standards promulgated by a Governmental Authority or by any court, agency, instrumentality, regulatory authority or commission of any of the foregoing concerning environmental health or safety and protection of natural resources, or regulation of the discharge of substances into, the environment.



“Environmental Permits” means all permits, licenses, authorizations, certificates, approvals or registrations required by any Governmental Authority under any Environmental Laws.



“Equalization Event” means the earlier of (a) the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 8.12 hereof, or (b) the acceleration of the maturity of the Obligations after the occurrence of an Event of Default.



“Equalization Maximum Amount” means that term as defined in Section 9.5(b)(i) hereof.



“Equalization Percentage” means that term as defined in Section 9.5(b)(ii) hereof.



“Equipment” means equipment, as that term is defined in the U.C.C.



“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.



“ERISA Event” means (a) the existence of a condition or event with respect to an ERISA Plan that presents a risk of the imposition of an excise tax or any other material liability on a Company or of the imposition of a Lien on the assets of a Company; (b) the engagement by a Company in a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” (as defined under ERISA Section 406 or Code Section 4975) or a breach of a fiduciary duty under ERISA that could result in liability to a Company; (c) the application by a Controlled Group member for a waiver from the minimum funding requirements of Code Section 412 or ERISA Section 302 or a Controlled Group member is required to provide security under Code Section 401(a)(29); (d) the occurrence of a Reportable Event with respect to any Pension Plan as to which notice is required to be provided to the PBGC; (e) the withdrawal by a Controlled Group member from a Multiemployer Plan in a “complete withdrawal” or a “partial withdrawal” (as such terms are defined in ERISA Sections 4203 and 4205, respectively); (f) the occurrence of a Multiemployer Plan being in endangered or critical status, as defined in Section 432 of the Code; (g) the failure of an ERISA Plan (and any related trust) that is intended to be qualified under Code Sections 401 and 501 to be so qualified or the failure of any “cash or deferred arrangement” under any such ERISA Plan to meet the requirements of Code Section 401(k) if such failure is reasonably likely to result in a material liability; (h) the taking by the PBGC of any steps to terminate a Pension Plan or appoint a trustee to administer a Pension Plan, or the taking by a Controlled Group member of any steps to terminate a Pension Plan; (i) the failure by a Controlled Group member or an ERISA Plan to satisfy any requirements of law applicable to an ERISA Plan; (j) the commencement, existence or threatening of a claim, action, suit, audit or investigation with respect to an ERISA Plan, other than a routine claim for benefits; or (k) any incurrence by or any expectation of the incurrence by a Controlled Group

16


 

 

 

 

member of any liability for post-retirement benefits under any Welfare Plan, other than as required by ERISA Section 601, et. seq. or Code Section 4980B.



“ERISA Plan” means an “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(3)) that a Controlled Group member at any time sponsors, maintains, contributes to, has liability with respect to or has an obligation to contribute to such plan.



“Erroneous Payment Subrogation Rights” means that term as defined in Section 10.17(d) hereof.



“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor entity), as in effect from time to time.



“Event of Default” means an event or condition that shall constitute an event of default as defined in Article VIII hereof.



Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.



“Excluded Property” means: (a) any license, equipment lease or sublease, franchise, authorization or agreement to which any Credit Party is a party or any property that is subject thereto (any of the foregoing, an “arrangement”), in each case, to the extent that the creation of a Lien on such assets would result in (i) a breach of the terms of, or constitute a default under, such arrangement, (ii) a violation of applicable Laws,  or (iii) create a right of termination in favor of any other party thereto (other than the Credit Parties or their Affiliates) (in each case (A) other than to the extent that any such term has been waived or would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Sections 9-406, 9-407, 9-408, 9-409 or other applicable provisions of the U.C.C. of any relevant jurisdiction or any other applicable Laws and (B) so long as any prohibition or restriction subject to this clause (a) was not created in contemplation hereof; provided that (1) the security interest granted hereunder (x) shall attach immediately when the condition causing such breach, violation or right of termination is remedied or no longer in effect, and (y) shall attach immediately to any such arrangement to which the account debtor or the applicable grantor’s counterparty has consented to such attachment, and (2) the foregoing exclusions shall in no way be construed to limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Administrative Agent’s continuing security interests in and liens upon any rights or interests of any Credit Party in or to (x) monies due or to become due under or in connection with any described arrangement (including any Accounts), or (y) any proceeds from the collection, sale, license, lease, or other dispositions of any such arrangement ); and  (b) (any “intent-to-use” trademark application filed pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051 (the “Lanham Act”), prior to the filing of a “Statement of Use” pursuant to Section 1(d) of the Lanham Act or an “Amendment to Allege Use” pursuant to Section 1(c) of the Lanham Act with respect thereto, to the extent, if any, that, and solely during the period, if any, in which the grant of a security interest therein would impair the validity or enforceability of any registration that issues from such intent-to-use application under applicable federal law; provided that “Excluded Property” shall not include Proceeds, products, substitutions or replacements of Excluded Property (unless such Proceeds, products, substitutions, or replacements would otherwise constitute Excluded Property).  

17


 

 

 

 

“Excluded Swap Obligations” means, with respect to any Credit Party, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Credit Party of, or the grant by such Credit Party of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Credit Party’s failure to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to any “keepwell, support or other agreement” for the benefit of such Credit Party and any and all guarantees of such Credit Party’s Swap Obligations by other Credit Parties), at the time such guarantee or grant of security interest of such Credit Party becomes, or would become, effective with respect to such Swap Obligation.  If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such guarantee or security interest is, or becomes, illegal.    



“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to a Recipient, any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office located in, or, in the case of any Lender, having its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof), or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes; (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes (including for the avoidance of doubt, Taxes due under Section 871(a) and 881(a) of the Code) imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Sections 3.6 or 11.3(c) hereof); or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.2 hereof, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lenders assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto, or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office; (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.2(e) hereof; and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed with respect to such Recipient pursuant to FATCA.



“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as in effect on the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable to and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such sections of the Code, and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules, or practices adopted pursuant to such intergovernmental agreement.



“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum (rounded upward to the nearest one one-hundredth of one percent (1/100 of 1%) announced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or any successor) on such day as being the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions arranged by federal funds brokers on the previous trading day, as computed and announced by such Federal Reserve Bank (or any successor) in substantially the

18


 

 

 

 

same manner as such Federal Reserve Bank computes and announces the weighted average it refers to as the “Federal Funds Effective Rate” as of the Closing Date.



“Financial Officer” means any of the following officers: chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer or treasurer.  Unless otherwise qualified, all references to a Financial Officer in this Agreement shall refer to a Financial Officer of the Borrower.



“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, as determined for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters of the Borrower, on a Consolidated basis, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, minus (ii) Consolidated Unfunded Capital Expenditures, minus (iii)  Capital Distributions  (including stock repurchases) permitted by Section 5.15 hereof made during such period (excluding Capital Distributions for stock repurchases made during such period if the Leverage Ratio for such same period is less than 2.00 to 1.00), to (b) Consolidated Fixed Charges;  



“Floor” means a rate of interest equal to zero percent (0%) per annum.



“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes.



“Foreign Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.



“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to the Issuing Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s outstanding Letter of Credit Exposure (to the extent of such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Commitment Percentage of the Revolving Credit Commitment) with respect to Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Lender, other than Letter of Credit Exposure as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.



“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as then in effect, which shall include the official interpretations thereof by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, applied on a basis consistent with the past accounting practices and procedures of the Borrower.



“General Intangibles” means (a) general intangibles, as that term is defined in the U.C.C.; and (b) choses in action, causes of action, intellectual property, customer lists, corporate or other business records, inventions, designs, patents, patent applications, service marks, registrations, trade names, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, goodwill, computer software, rights to indemnification and tax refunds.



“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, department, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to

19


 

 

 

 

government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).



“Guarantor” means a Person that shall have pledged its credit or property in any manner for the payment or other performance of the indebtedness, contract or other obligation of another and includes (without limitation) any guarantor (whether of payment or of collection), surety, co-maker, endorser or Person that shall have agreed conditionally or otherwise to make any purchase, loan or investment in order thereby to enable another to prevent or correct a default of any kind.



“Guarantor of Payment” means each of the Companies designated a “Guarantor of Payment” on Schedule 2 hereto, and any other Person that shall execute and deliver a Guaranty of Payment (or Guaranty of Payment Joinder) to the Administrative Agent,  subsequent to the Closing Date.



“Guaranty of Payment” means each Guaranty of Payment executed and delivered in connection with this Agreement by one or more Guarantors of Payment, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Guaranty of Payment Joinder” means each Guaranty of Payment Joinder in substantially the form attached as an exhibit to a Guaranty of Payment, executed and delivered by a Guarantor of Payment for the purpose of adding such Guarantor of Payment as a party to a previously executed Guaranty of Payment.



“Hedge Agreement” means any (a) hedge agreement, interest rate swap, cap, collar or floor agreement, or other interest rate management device entered into by a Company with any Person in connection with any Indebtedness of such Company, or (b) currency swap agreement, forward currency purchase agreement or similar arrangement or agreement designed to protect against fluctuations in currency exchange rates entered into by a Company.    



“Indebtedness” means, for any Company, without duplication, (a) all obligations to repay borrowed money, direct or indirect, incurred, assumed, or guaranteed, (b) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and excluding all earn-outs, seller holdbacks and other contingent acquisition consideration except to the extent that it is fully-earned and due but not yet paid), (c) all obligations under conditional sales or other title retention agreements, (d) all obligations (contingent or otherwise) under any letter of credit or banker’s acceptance, (e) all net obligations under any currency swap agreement, interest rate swap, cap, collar or floor agreement or other interest rate management device or any Hedge Agreement, (f) all synthetic leases, (g) all Capitalized Lease Obligations, (h) all obligations of such Company with respect to asset securitization financing programs, (i) all obligations to advance funds to, or to purchase assets, property or services from, any other Person in order to maintain the financial condition of such Person, (j) all indebtedness of the types referred to in subparts (a) through (i) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Company is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Company, (k) any other transaction (including forward sale or purchase agreements) having the commercial effect of a borrowing of money entered into

20


 

 

 

 

by such Company to finance its operations or capital requirements, and (l) any guaranty of any obligation described in subparts (a) through (k) above.



“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party under any Loan Document, and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in the foregoing subpart (a), Other Taxes.



“Intellectual Property Security Agreement” means each Intellectual Property Security Agreement, executed and delivered by a Credit Party, wherein such Credit Party, as the case may be, has granted to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a security interest in all intellectual property owned by such Credit Party, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any Revolving Loan, the last day of each calendar month and the last day of the Commitment Period, and (b) with respect to the Term Loan, each Regularly Scheduled Payment Date and the Term Loan Maturity Date.    



“Inventory” means inventory, as that term is defined in the U.C.C.



Investment Property” means investment property, as that term is defined in the U.C.C., unless the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in another jurisdiction would govern the perfection and priority of a security interest in investment property, and, in such case, “investment property” shall be defined in accordance with the law of that jurisdiction as in effect from time to time.    



“Issuing Lender” means, as to any Letter of Credit transaction hereunder, the Administrative Agent as issuer of the Letter of Credit, or, in the event that the Administrative Agent either shall be unable to issue or the Administrative Agent shall agree that another Revolving Lender may issue, a Letter of Credit, such other Revolving Lender as shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent and shall agree to issue the Letter of Credit in its own name, but in each instance on behalf of the Revolving Lenders.



“KeyBank” means KeyBank National Association, and its successors and assigns.



“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.



“Lender” means that term as defined in recital paragraph (b) of this Agreement and, as the context requires, shall include the Issuing Lender.



21


 

 

 

 

“Lender Credit Exposure” means, for any Lender, at any time, the aggregate of such Lender’s respective pro rata shares of the Revolving Credit Exposure and the Term Loan Exposure.



“Letter of Credit” means a commercial documentary letter of credit or standby letter of credit that shall be issued by the Issuing Lender for the account of the Borrower or a Guarantor of Payment, including amendments thereto, if any, and shall have an expiration date no later than one year after its date of issuance (provided that such Letter of Credit may provide for the renewal thereof for additional one year periods).



“Letter of Credit Commitment” means the commitment of the Issuing Lender, on behalf of the Revolving Lenders, to issue Letters of Credit in an aggregate face amount of up to Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000).



“Letter of Credit Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all issued and outstanding Letters of Credit, and (b) the aggregate amount of the draws made on Letters of Credit that have not been reimbursed by the Borrower or converted to a Revolving Loan pursuant to Section 2.2(b)(v) hereof.



“Letter of Credit Fee” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, for any day, an amount equal to (a) the undrawn portion of the face amount of such Letter of Credit, multiplied by (b) the Applicable Margin for SOFR Loans in effect on such day divided by three hundred sixty (360).



“Leverage Ratio” means, as determined on a Consolidated basis, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness (as of the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter of the Borrower); to (b) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters of the Borrower). 



“Lien” means any mortgage, deed of trust, security interest, lien (statutory or other), charge, assignment, hypothecation, encumbrance on, pledge or deposit of, or conditional sale, lease (other than operating leases), sale with a right of redemption or other title retention agreement and any capitalized lease with respect to any property (real or personal) or asset.



“Loan” means a Revolving Loan or the Term Loan.



“Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each Note, each Guaranty of Payment, each Guaranty of Payment Joinder, all documentation relating to each Letter of Credit, each Security Document and the Administrative Agent Fee Letter, as any of the foregoing may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified or replaced, and any other document delivered pursuant thereto.



“Mandatory Prepayment” means that term as defined in Section 2.12(b) hereof.



“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of any Company, (b) the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Companies taken as a whole, (c) the rights and remedies of the

22


 

 

 

 

Administrative Agent or the Lenders under any Loan Document, (d) the ability of any Credit Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party, or (e) the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Credit Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.



“Material Indebtedness Agreement” means any debt instrument, lease (capital, operating or otherwise), guaranty, contract, commitment, agreement or other arrangement evidencing or entered into in connection with any Indebtedness of any Company or the Companies equal to or in excess of the principal amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000).  



“Material Recovery Determination Notice” means that term as defined in Section 2.12(b)(ii) hereof.



“Material Recovery Event” means (a) any casualty loss in respect of assets of a Company covered by casualty insurance, and (b) any compulsory transfer or taking under threat of compulsory transfer of any asset of a Company by any Governmental Authority; provided that, in the case of either subpart (a) or (b) hereof, the proceeds received by the Companies from such loss, transfer or taking exceeds Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000). 



“Maximum Amount” means, for each Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name under the column headed “Maximum Amount” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, subject to (a) decreases pursuant to Section 2.9(d) hereof, (b)  decreases of the Term Loan by virtue of principal payments made, and (e) assignments of interests pursuant to Section 11.9 hereof; provided that the Maximum Amount of the Issuing Lender shall exclude the Letter of Credit Commitment (other than its pro rata share thereof).



“Maximum Rate” means that term as defined in Section 2.4(d) hereof.



“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances, an amount equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the Fronting Exposure of the Issuing Lender with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, and (b) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender in their sole discretion.



“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and any successor to such company.



“Multiemployer Plan” means a Pension Plan that is subject to the requirements of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.



“Non‑Consenting Lender” means that term as defined in Section 11.3(c) hereof.



Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.



“Note” means a Revolving Credit Note or a Term Note, or any other promissory note delivered pursuant to this Agreement.

23


 

 

 

 

“Notice of Loan” means a Notice of Loan in substantially the form of the attached Exhibit C.



“Obligations” means, collectively, (a) all Indebtedness and other obligations now owing or hereafter incurred by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender, or any Lender pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including any Erroneous Payment Subrogation Rights), and includes the principal of and interest on all Loans, and all obligations of the Borrower or any other Credit Party pursuant to Letters of Credit; (b) each extension, renewal, consolidation or refinancing of any of the foregoing, in whole or in part; (c) the commitment and other fees, and any prepayment fees, payable pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (d) all fees and charges in connection with Letters of Credit; (e) every other liability, now or hereafter owing to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by any Company pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (f) all Related Expenses.



“Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any Person (other than an individual), such Person’s Articles (Certificate) of Incorporation, operating agreement or equivalent formation documents, and Regulations (Bylaws), or equivalent governing documents, and any amendments to any of the foregoing.



“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit, or any Loan Document).



“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court, or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or from the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.6 hereof).



Overall Commitment Percentage” means, for any Lender, such Lender’s percentage of the sum of the aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding plus the Letter of Credit Exposure.



“Participant” means that term as defined in Section 11.9(d) hereof.



“Participant Register” means that term as defined in Section 11.9(d) hereof.



“Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, USA Patriot Act, Title III of Pub. L. 107-56, signed into law October 26, 2001, as amended from time to time.



24


 

 

 

 

“Payment Recipient” means that term as defined in Section 10.17(a) hereof.



“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, and its successor.



“Pension Plan” means an ERISA Plan that is a “pension plan” (within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(2)).



“Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, unincorporated organization, corporation, limited liability company, unlimited liability company, institution, trust, estate, Governmental Authority or any other entity.



“Platform” means Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system selected by the Administrative Agent.



“Pledge Agreement” means each of the Pledge Agreements, relating to the Pledged Securities, executed and delivered by a Credit Party, as applicable, in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Pledged Notes” means the promissory notes payable to a Credit Party, as described on Schedule 7.4 hereto, and any additional or future promissory notes that may hereafter from time to time be payable to a Credit Party.



Pledged Securities” means all of the shares of capital stock or other equity interests of a  Subsidiary of a Credit Party, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or created, and all proceeds thereof; provided that Pledged Securities shall exclude (a) shares of capital stock or other equity interests of any Foreign Subsidiary that is not a first-tier Foreign Subsidiary, and (b) shares of voting capital stock or other voting equity interests in any first-tier Foreign Subsidiary in excess of sixty-five percent (65%) of the total outstanding shares of voting capital stock or other voting equity interest of such first-tier Foreign Subsidiary.  (Schedule 3 hereto lists, as of the Closing Date, all of the Pledged Securities.



“Prime Rate” means the interest rate established from time to time by the Administrative Agent as the Administrative Agent’s prime rate, whether or not such rate shall be publicly announced; the Prime Rate may not be the lowest interest rate charged by the Administrative Agent for commercial or other extensions of credit.  Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective immediately from and after such change.



“Proceeds” means (a) proceeds, as that term is defined in the U.C.C., and any other proceeds, and (b) whatever is received upon the sale, exchange, collection or other disposition of Collateral or proceeds, whether cash or non-cash.  Cash proceeds include, without limitation, moneys, checks and Deposit Accounts.  Proceeds include, without limitation, any Account arising when the right to payment is earned under a contract right, any insurance payable by reason of loss or damage to the Collateral, and any return or unearned premium upon any cancellation of insurance.  Except as expressly authorized in this Agreement, the right of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to Proceeds specifically set forth herein, or indicated in any financing statement, 

25


 

 

 

 

shall never constitute an express or implied authorization on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to a Company’s sale, exchange, collection or other disposition of any or all of the collateral securing the Secured Obligations.



“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the United States Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.



“QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).



“Recipient” means, as applicable (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender, or (c) the Issuing Lender.



“Register” means that term as described in Section 11.9(c) hereof.



“Regularly Scheduled Payment Date” means the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December of each year.    



“Related Expenses” means any and all costs, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, losses, damages, penalties, claims, actions, attorneys’ fees, legal expenses, judgments, suits and disbursements) (a) incurred by the Administrative Agent, or imposed upon or asserted against the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in any attempt by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to (i) obtain, preserve, perfect or enforce any Loan Document or any security interest evidenced by any Loan Document; (ii) obtain payment, performance or observance of any and all of the Secured Obligations; or (iii) maintain, insure, audit, collect, preserve, repossess or dispose of any of the collateral securing the Secured Obligations or any part thereof, including, without limitation, costs and expenses for appraisals, assessments and audits of any Company or any such collateral; or (b) incidental or related to subpart (a) above, including, without limitation, interest thereupon from the date incurred, imposed or asserted until paid at the Default Rate.



“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.



“Related Writing” means each Loan Document and any other assignment, mortgage, security agreement, guaranty agreement, subordination agreement, financial statement, audit report or other writing furnished by any Credit Party, or any of its officers, to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders pursuant to or otherwise in connection with this Agreement; provided that no Bank Product Agreement or Hedge Agreement shall constitute a Related Writing hereunder.



“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.



26


 

 

 

 

“Reportable Event” means a “reportable event” as that term is defined in Title IV of ERISA, except actions of general applicability by the Secretary of Labor under Section 110 of such Act.



“Required Lenders” means the holders, based upon each Lender’s Applicable Commitment Percentages, of at least fifty-one percent (51%) of an amount (the “Total Amount”) equal to the sum of:



(a)(i) during the Commitment Period, the Revolving Amount, or (ii) after the Commitment Period, the Revolving Credit Exposure; and



(b)the principal outstanding on the Term Loan;



provided that (A) the portion of the Total Amount held or deemed to be held by any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders, and (B) if there shall be two (2) or more unaffiliated Lenders (that are not Defaulting Lenders), Required Lenders shall constitute at least two (2) unaffiliated Lenders.



“Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.



“Restricted Payment” means, with respect to any Company, (a) any Capital Distribution, (b) any amount paid by such Company in repayment, redemption, retirement or repurchase, directly or indirectly, of any Subordinated Indebtedness, or (c) any amount paid by such Company in respect of any management, consulting or other similar arrangement with any equity holder (other than a Company) of a Company or an Affiliate.



“Revolving Amount” means Sixty-Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($62,500,000), as such amount may decreased pursuant to Section 2.9(d) hereof.



“Revolving Credit Commitment” means the obligation hereunder, during the Commitment Period, of (a) the Revolving Lenders (and each Revolving Lender) to make Revolving Loans, and (b) the Issuing Lender to issue, and each Revolving Lender to participate in, Letters of Credit pursuant to the Letter of Credit Commitment; up to an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time equal to the Revolving Amount.



“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans outstanding, and  (b) the Letter of Credit Exposure.



“Revolving Credit Note” means a Revolving Credit Note, in the form of the attached Exhibit A, executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.5(a) hereof.



“Revolving Lender” means a Lender with a percentage of the Revolving Credit Commitment as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, or that acquires a percentage of the Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to Section 3.6 or 11.9 hereof.



27


 

 

 

 

“Revolving Loan” means a loan made to the Borrower by the Revolving Lenders in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof.



“Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country or territory (a) which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions or (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).



“Sanctions” means any sanctions administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the United States government, including those administered by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control or the United States Department of State or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or other relevant sanctions authorities.



“Secured Obligations” means, collectively, (a) the Obligations, (b) all obligations and liabilities of the Companies owing to a Lender (or an entity that is an Affiliate of a then existing Lender) under Hedge Agreements, and (c) the Bank Product Obligations owing to a Lender (or an entity that is an Affiliate of a then existing Lender) under Bank Product Agreements; provided that Secured Obligations of a Credit Party shall not include Excluded Swap Obligations owing from such Credit Party.  



“Securities Account” means a securities account, as that term is defined in the U.C.C. 



“Securities Account Control Agreement” means each Securities Account Control Agreement (or similar agreement with respect to a Securities Account) among a Credit Party, the Administrative Agent and a Securities Intermediary, to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Securities Intermediary” means a clearing corporation or a Person, including, without limitation, a bank or broker, that in the ordinary course of its business maintains Securities Accounts for others and is acting in that capacity.



“Security Agreement” means each Security Agreement, executed and delivered by one or more Guarantors of Payment in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified.



“Security Agreement Joinder” means each Security Agreement Joinder in substantially the form attached as an exhibit to a Security Agreement, executed and delivered by a Guarantor of Payment for the purpose of adding such Guarantor of Payment as a party to a previously executed Security Agreement.



“Security Document” means each Security Agreement, each Security Agreement Joinder, each Pledge Agreement, each Intellectual Property Security Agreement, each Collateral Access Agreement, each Control Agreement, each U.C.C. Financing Statement or similar filing as to a

28


 

 

 

 

jurisdiction located outside of the United States filed in connection herewith or perfecting any interest created in any of the foregoing documents, and any other document pursuant to which any Lien is granted by a Company or any other Person to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, as security for the Secured Obligations, or any part thereof, and each other agreement executed or provided to the Administrative Agent in connection with any of the foregoing, as any of the foregoing may from time to time be amended, restated or otherwise modified or replaced.



“SOFR” or “SOFR Rate” means, with respect to any SOFR Business Day, a rate per annum equal to the secured overnight financing rate for such SOFR Business Day.



“SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).



“SOFR Administrator’s Website” means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.



“SOFR Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.



“SOFR Index Adjustment” means a percentage per annum equal to 0.10%.



“SOFR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR.



“Solvent” means, as to any Person as of any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair saleable value of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature and (d) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital.  The amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.



“Specific Commitment” means the Revolving Credit Commitment or the Term Loan Commitment.



“Standard & Poor’s” means S&P Global Ratings, a business unit of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc., and any successor thereto.



29


 

 

 

 

“Subordinated Indebtedness” means Indebtedness that shall have been subordinated (by written terms or written agreement being, in either case, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) in favor of the prior payment in full of the Obligations.



“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation more than fifty percent (50%) of the Voting Power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more other subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more subsidiaries of such Person, (b) a partnership, limited liability company or unlimited liability company of which such Person, one or more other subsidiaries of such Person or such Person and one or more subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, is a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, or otherwise has an ownership interest greater than fifty percent (50%) of all of the ownership interests in such partnership, limited liability company or unlimited liability company, or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or unlimited liability company) in which such Person, one or more other subsidiaries of such Person or such Person and one or more subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, has at least a majority interest in the Voting Power or the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of directors or other governing body of such Person.  Unless the context otherwise requires, Subsidiary herein shall be a reference to a Subsidiary of the Borrower.



“Supporting Letter of Credit” means a standby letter of credit, in form and substance satisfactory to the Issuing Lender, issued by an issuer satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender.



“Swap Obligations” means, with respect to any Company, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.     



“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.



“Term Lender” means a Lender with a percentage of the Term Loan Commitment as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto, or that acquires a percentage of the Term Loan Commitment pursuant to Section 3.6 or 11.9 hereof.



“Term Loan” means the loan made to the Borrower by the Term Lenders in the original principal amount of Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($7,500,000), in accordance with Section 2.3 hereof.



“Term Loan Commitment” means the obligation hereunder of each Term Lender to participate in the making of the Term Loan, up to the amount set forth opposite such Term Lender’s name under the column headed “Term Loan Commitment Amount” as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.



“Term Loan Exposure” means, at any time, the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan.

30


 

 

 

 

“Term Loan Maturity Date” means August 31, 2024.



“Term Note” means a Term Note, in the form of the attached Exhibit B executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.5(c) hereof.



“Total Commitment Amount” means the sum of (a) the Revolving Amount, plus (b) the principal outstanding on the Term Loan. 



“U.C.C.” means the Uniform Commercial Code, as in effect from time to time in the State of New York; provided that, if perfection or the effect of perfection or non-perfection or the priority of any security interest in any Collateral is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of New York, “U.C.C.” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection, effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority.



“U.C.C. Financing Statement” means a financing statement filed or to be filed in accordance with the Uniform Commercial Code, as in effect from time to time, in the relevant state or states.



“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.



“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” means that term as defined in Section 3.2(e) hereof.



“UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.



“UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.



“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.



“United States” or “U.S.” means the United States of America.



“Voting Power” means, with respect to any Person, the exclusive ability to control, through the ownership of shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or otherwise, the election of members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of such Person.  The holding of a designated percentage of Voting Power of a Person means the ownership of shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests or other interests of such Person sufficient to control exclusively the election of that percentage of the members of the board of directors or similar governing body of such Person.

31


 

 

 

 

“Welfare Plan” means an ERISA Plan that is a “welfare plan” within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(l).



Withholding Agent” means any Credit Party and the Administrative Agent.



“Write‑Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.



Section 1.2.  Accounting Terms



(a)Any accounting term not specifically defined in this Article I shall have the meaning ascribed thereto by GAAP.



(b)If any change in the rules, regulations, pronouncements, opinions or other requirements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or any successor thereto or agency with similar function) is made with respect to GAAP,  or if the Borrower adopts the International Financial Reporting Standards, and such change or adoption results in a change in the calculation of any component (or components in the aggregate) of the financial covenants set forth in Section 5.7 hereof or the related financial definitions, at the option of the Administrative Agent, the Required Lenders or the Borrower, the parties hereto will enter into good faith negotiations to amend such financial covenants and financial definitions in such manner as the parties shall agree, each acting reasonably, in order to reflect fairly such change or adoption so that the criteria for evaluating the financial condition of the Borrower shall be the same in commercial effect after, as well as before, such change or adoption is made (in which case the method and calculating such financial covenants and definitions hereunder shall be determined in the manner so agreed); provided that, until so amended, such calculations shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP as in effect prior to such change or adoption.



(c)Notwithstanding the foregoing, the definition of Capitalized Lease Obligations and all financial covenants contained herein shall be calculated, and compliance with negative covenants contained herein shall be determined, without giving effect to Accounting Standards Codification 842 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification having similar result or effect) (and related interpretations) to the extent any lease (or similar arrangement) would be required to be treated as a capital lease thereunder where such lease (or arrangement) would have been treated as an operating lease under GAAP as in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Accounting Standards Codification



32


 

 

 

 

Section 1.3.  Terms Generally.  The foregoing definitions shall be applicable to the singular and plural forms of the foregoing defined terms.  Unless otherwise defined in this Article I, terms that are defined in the U.C.C. are used herein as so defined.     



Section 1.4.  Divisions.  For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its equity interests at such time.



Section 1.5.  Rates.  The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to (a) the administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to Daily Simple SOFR, any component definition thereof or rates referenced in the definition thereof or any alternative, comparable or successor rate thereto (including any then-current Benchmark or any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, comparable or successor rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) will be similar to, or produce the  same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, Daily Simple SOFR or any other Benchmark, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.





ARTICLE II.  AMOUNT AND TERMS OF CREDIT



Section 2.1.  Amount and Nature of Credit.



(a)Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders, during the Commitment Period and to the extent hereinafter provided, shall make Loans to the Borrower,  and participate in Letters of Credit (or, if the Issuing Lender, issue Letters of Credit) at the request of the Borrower, in such aggregate amount as the Borrower shall request pursuant to the Commitment; provided that in no event shall the aggregate principal amount of all Loans and Letters of Credit  outstanding under this Agreement be in excess of the Total Commitment Amount.



(b)Each Lender, for itself and not one for any other, agrees to make Loans, and participate in Letters of Credit (or, if the Issuing Lender, issue Letters of Credit), during the Commitment Period, on such basis that, immediately after the completion of any borrowing by the Borrower or the issuance of a Letter of Credit:



(i)the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans made by such Lender,  when combined with such Lender’s pro rata share, if any, of the Letter of Credit Exposure, shall not be in excess of the Maximum Amount for such Lender; and



(ii)with respect to each Specific Commitment, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans made by such Lender with respect to such Specific Commitment shall represent that percentage of the aggregate principal amount then outstanding on all

33


 

 

 

 

Loans within such Specific Commitment that shall be such Lender’s Applicable Commitment Percentage.



Within each Specific Commitment, each borrowing from the Lenders shall be made pro rata according to the respective Applicable Commitment Percentages of the Lenders.



(c)The Loans may be made as Revolving Loans as described in Section 2.2(a) hereof, as the Term Loan as described in Section 2.3 hereof,  and Letters of Credit may be issued in accordance with Section 2.2(b) hereof.



Section 2.2.  Revolving Credit Commitment.



(a)Revolving Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, during the Commitment Period, the Revolving Lenders shall make a Revolving Loan or Revolving Loans to the Borrower in such amount or amounts as the Borrower, through an Authorized Officer, may from time to time request, but not exceeding in aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding hereunder the Revolving Credit Commitment, when such Revolving Loans are combined with the Letter of Credit Exposure.  Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Borrower shall be entitled under this Section 2.2(a) to borrow Revolving Loans, repay the same in whole or in part and re-borrow Revolving Loans hereunder at any time and from time to time during the Commitment Period.  The aggregate outstanding amount of all Revolving Loans shall be payable in full on the last day of the Commitment Period.



(b)Letters of Credit.



(i)Generally.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, during the Commitment Period, the Issuing Lender shall, in its own name, on behalf of the Revolving Lenders, issue such Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or a Guarantor of Payment, as the Borrower may from time to time request.  The Borrower shall not request any Letter of Credit (and the Issuing Lender shall not be obligated to issue any Letter of Credit) if, after giving effect thereto, (A) the Letter of Credit Exposure would exceed the Letter of Credit Commitment, or (B) the Revolving Credit Exposure would exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment.  The issuance of each Letter of Credit shall confer upon each Revolving Lender the benefits and liabilities of a participation consisting of an undivided pro rata interest in the Letter of Credit to the extent of such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Commitment Percentage.



(ii)Request for Letter of Credit.  Each request for a Letter of Credit shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent (and to the Issuing Lender, if the Issuing Lender is a Lender other than the Administrative Agent) by an Authorized Officer not later than 11:00 A.M. (Eastern time) three Business Days prior to the date of the proposed issuance of the Letter of Credit (or such shorter period as may be acceptable to the Issuing Lender).  Each such request shall be in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent (and the Issuing Lender, if the Issuing Lender is a Lender other than the Administrative Agent) and shall specify the face amount thereof, whether such Letter of Credit is a commercial documentary or a standby Letter of Credit, the account party, the beneficiary, the requested

34


 

 

 

 

date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, the expiry date thereof, and the nature of the transaction or obligation to be supported thereby.  Concurrently with each such request, the Borrower, and any Guarantor of Payment for whose account the Letter of Credit is to be issued shall execute and deliver to the Issuing Lender an appropriate application and agreement, being in the standard form of the Issuing Lender for such letters of credit, as amended to conform to the provisions of this Agreement if required by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall give the Issuing Lender and each Revolving Lender notice of each such request for a Letter of Credit.



(iii)Commercial Documentary Letters of Credit Fees.  With respect to each Letter of Credit that shall be a commercial documentary letter of credit and the drafts thereunder, whether issued for the account of the Borrower or a Guarantor of Payment, the Borrower agrees to (A) pay to the Administrative Agent,  for the pro rata benefit of the Revolving Lenders, a non-refundable commission based upon the face amount of such Letter of Credit, which shall be paid quarterly in arrears, on each Regularly Scheduled Payment Date,  in an amount equal to the aggregate sum of the Letter of Credit Fee for such Letter of Credit for each day of such quarter; (B) pay to the Administrative Agent, for the sole benefit of the Issuing Lender, an additional Letter of Credit fee, which shall be paid on each date that such Letter of Credit is issued, amended or renewed, at the rate of one-eighth percent (1/8%) of the face amount of such Letter of Credit; and (C) pay to the Administrative Agent, for the sole benefit of the Issuing Lender, such other issuance, amendment, renewal, negotiation, draw, acceptance, telex, courier, postage and similar transactional fees as are customarily charged by the Issuing Lender in respect of the issuance and administration of similar letters of credit under its fee schedule as in effect from time to time.



(iv)Standby Letters of Credit Fees.  With respect to each Letter of Credit that shall be a standby letter of credit and the drafts thereunder, if any, whether issued for the account of the Borrower or a Guarantor of Payment, the Borrower agrees to (A) pay to the Administrative Agent, for the pro rata benefit of the Revolving Lenders, a non-refundable commission based upon the face amount of such Letter of Credit, which shall be paid quarterly in arrears, on each Regularly Scheduled Payment Date, in an amount equal to the aggregate sum of the Letter of Credit Fee for such Letter of Credit for each day of such quarter; (B) pay to the Administrative Agent,  for the sole benefit of the Issuing Lender, an additional Letter of Credit fee, which shall be paid on each date that such Letter of Credit is issued, amended or renewed at the rate of one-eighth percent (1/8%) of the face amount of such Letter of Credit; and (C) pay to the Administrative Agent, for the sole benefit of the Issuing Lender, such other issuance, amendment, renewal, negotiation, draw, acceptance, telex, courier, postage and similar transactional fees as are customarily charged by the Issuing Lender in respect of the issuance and administration of similar letters of credit under its fee schedule as in effect from time to time.



(v)Refunding of Letters of Credit with Revolving Loans.  Whenever a Letter of Credit shall be drawn, the Borrower shall promptly reimburse the Issuing Lender for the amount drawn.  In the event that the amount drawn shall not have been reimbursed by the Borrower within one Business Day of the drawing of such Letter of Credit, at the sole

35


 

 

 

 

option of the Administrative Agent (and the Issuing Lender if the Issuing Lender is a Lender other than the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Revolving Loan, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.2(a) and 2.6 hereof, in the amount drawn.  Such Revolving Loan shall be evidenced by the Revolving Credit Notes (or, if a Lender has not requested a Revolving Credit Note, by the records of the Administrative Agent and such Lender).  Each Revolving Lender agrees to make a Revolving Loan on the date of such notice, subject to no conditions precedent whatsoever.  Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to make a Revolving Loan pursuant to Section 2.2(a) hereof when required by this subpart (v) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including, without limitation, the occurrence and continuance of a Default or Event of Default, and that its payment to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Lender, of the proceeds of such Revolving Loan shall be made without any offset, abatement, recoupment, counterclaim, withholding or reduction whatsoever and whether or not the Revolving Credit Commitment shall have been reduced or terminated.  The Borrower irrevocably authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent to apply the proceeds of any borrowing pursuant to this subpart (v) to reimburse, in full (other than the Issuing Lender’s pro rata share of such borrowing), the Issuing Lender for the amount drawn on such Letter of Credit.  Each such Revolving Loan shall be a SOFR Loan.  Each Revolving Lender is hereby authorized to record on its records relating to its Revolving Credit Note (or, if such Revolving Lender has not requested a Revolving Credit Note, its records relating to Revolving Loans) such Revolving Lender’s pro rata share of the amounts paid and not reimbursed on the Letters of Credit.    



(vi)Participation in Letters of CreditIf, for any reason, the Administrative Agent (and the Issuing Lender if the Issuing Lender is a Revolving Lender other than the Administrative Agent) shall be unable to or, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, it shall be impracticable to, convert any amount drawn under a Letter of Credit to a Revolving Loan pursuant to the preceding subsection, the Administrative Agent (and the Issuing Lender if the Issuing Lender is a Revolving Lender other than the Administrative Agent) shall have the right to request that each Revolving Lender fund a participation in the amount due with respect to such Letter of Credit, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Lender thereof (by facsimile or email (in each case confirmed by telephone) or telephone (confirmed in writing)).  Upon such notice, but without further action, the Issuing Lender hereby agrees to grant to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender hereby agrees to acquire from the Issuing Lender, an undivided participation interest in the amount due with respect to such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Commitment Percentage of the principal amount due with respect to such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Lender, such Revolving Lender’s ratable share of the amount due with respect to such Letter of Credit (determined in accordance with such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Commitment Percentage).  Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in the amount due under any Letter of Credit that is drawn but not reimbursed by the Borrower pursuant to this subsection (vi) shall be

36


 

 

 

 

absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including, without limitation, the occurrence and continuance of a Default or Event of Default, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, recoupment, counterclaim, withholding or reduction whatsoever and whether or not the Revolving Credit Commitment shall have been reduced or terminated.  Each Revolving Lender shall comply with its obligation under this subsection (vi) by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.5 hereof with respect to Revolving Loans.  Each Revolving Lender is hereby authorized to record on its records such Lender’s pro rata share of the amounts paid and not reimbursed on the Letters of Credit. 



(vii)Auto-Renewal Letters of Credit.  If the Borrower so requests, a Letter of Credit shall have an automatic renewal provision; provided that any Letter of Credit that has an automatic renewal provision must permit the Administrative Agent (or the Issuing Lender if the Issuing Lender is a Lender other than the Administrative Agent) to prevent any such renewal by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than thirty (30) days prior to the renewal date of such Letter of Credit.  Once any such Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions has been issued, the Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the Administrative Agent (and the Issuing Lender) to permit at any time the renewal of such Letter of Credit to an expiry date not later than one year after the last day of the Commitment Period.



(viii)Letters of Credit Outstanding Beyond the Commitment Period.  If any Letter of Credit is outstanding upon the termination of the Commitment, then, prior to such termination, the Borrower shall deposit with the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender, with respect to all outstanding Letters of Credit, either cash or a Supporting Letter of Credit, which, in each case, is (A) in an amount equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the undrawn amount of the outstanding Letters of Credit, and (B) free and clear of all rights and claims of third parties.  The cash shall be deposited in an escrow account at a financial institution designated by the Issuing Lender.  The Issuing Lender shall be entitled to withdraw (with respect to the cash) or draw (with respect to the Supporting Letter of Credit) amounts necessary to reimburse the Issuing Lender for payments to be made under the Letters of Credit and any fees and expenses associated with such Letters of Credit, or incurred pursuant to the reimbursement agreements with respect to such Letters of Credit.  The Borrower shall also execute such documentation as the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender may reasonably require in connection with the survival of the Letters of Credit beyond the Commitment or this Agreement.  After expiration of all undrawn Letters of Credit, the Supporting Letter of Credit or the remainder of the cash, as the case may be, shall promptly be returned to the Borrower.



(c)In connection with the consummation of an Acquisition permitted hereunder where the Borrower has funded all or a portion of the closing date purchase price therefor with a Revolving Loan in an aggregate amount of at least Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000), the Borrower may request that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders enter into good faith negotiations to convert such Revolving Loan into a term loan under this Agreement.  Any such term loan shall (i) result in a concurrent permanent reduction in the Revolving Credit Commitment

37


 

 

 

 

on a dollar-for-dollar basis in connection with such conversion (ii)  rank pari passu in right of payment with the Revolving Loans and the Term Loan and shall be fully secured on a pari passu basis with the Revolving Loans and the Term Loan, (iii) be treated substantially the same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the Revolving Loans and the Term Loan, including, without limitation, with respect to covenants, representations and warranties, events of default and other applicable terms and conditions, and (iv)  be subject to interest rates, amortization and other terms as determined by the Administrative Agent (in consultation with the Borrower) at the time of such conversion and in all cases shall be subject to the obtaining of all necessary credit approvals of the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lenders.  Such Revolving Loan conversion shall be evidenced pursuant to an amendment of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrower, each Lender providing a commitment with respect to such term loan, and the Administrative Agent (including the delivery of such other additional agreements or instruments as may be required by the Administrative Agent).  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, such amendment to this Agreement may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.2(c) (including, without limitation, amendments to the definitions in this Agreement and Section 9.8 hereof for the purpose of treating such term loan pari passu with the other Loans). In no event shall any such conversion be permitted if a Default or Event of Default then exists or would result therefrom.    For clarification purposes, nothing contained in this Section 2.2(c) shall be construed as a commitment by any Lender to increase its Commitment or Maximum Amount hereunder, and any such commitment by a Lender shall be at such Lender’s sole and absolute discretion.



Section 2.3.  Term Loan Commitment.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Term Lenders shall make the Term Loan to the Borrower on the Closing Date, in the amount of the Term Loan Commitment.  The Term Loan shall be payable in consecutive quarterly principal installments of One Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($1,250,000.00) for each quarter, commencing March 31, 2023, and continuing on each Regularly Scheduled Payment Date thereafter, with the balance thereof payable in full on the Term Loan Maturity Date.    Once the Term Loan is made, any portion of the Term Loan repaid may not be re‑borrowed.  The Term Loan Commitment shall terminate on the date that the Term Loan is made.    



 Section 2.4Interest.



(a)Interest on Revolving Loans.  The outstanding principal amount of each Revolving Loan made by each Lender shall bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum that shall at all times be equal to the Derived SOFR Rate from time to time in effect. 



(b)Interest on Term LoanThe outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan made by each Lender shall bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum that shall at all times be equal to the Derived SOFR Rate from time to time in effect.



(c)Default Rate.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, if an Event of Default shall occur,  upon the election of the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (i) the principal of each Loan and the unpaid interest thereon shall bear interest, until paid, at the Default

38


 

 

 

 

Rate,  (ii) the fee for the aggregate undrawn amount of all issued and outstanding Letters of Credit shall be increased by two percent (2%) in excess of the rate otherwise applicable thereto, and (iii) in the case of any other amount not paid when due from the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document, such amount shall bear interest at the Default Rate; provided that, during an Event of Default under Section 8.1 or 8.12 hereof, the applicable Default Rate shall apply without any election or action on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.



(d)Limitation on InterestIn no event shall the rate of interest hereunder exceed the maximum rate allowable by law.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”).  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower.  In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (i) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (ii) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (iii) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations.



(e)Accrual and Payment of InterestThe Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan outstanding from time to time from the date thereof until paid and shall be payable by the Borrower (i) on each Interest Payment Date and (ii) on any repayment or prepayment, at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise), and, after such maturity or, in the case of any interest payable pursuant to Section 2.4(c) hereof, on demand. 



(f)Unavailability of Daily Simple SOFR.  If for any reason Daily Simple SOFR is unavailable for a period of longer than ten (10) consecutive SOFR Business Days, as provided in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”, the provisions of Section 3.8 hereof will be applicable. 



Section 2.5Evidence of Indebtedness



(a)Revolving Loans.  Upon the request of a Revolving Lender, to evidence the obligation of the Borrower to repay the portion of the Revolving Loans made by such Revolving Lender and to pay interest thereon, the Borrower shall execute a Revolving Credit Note, payable to the order of such Revolving Lender in the principal amount equal to its Applicable Commitment Percentage of the Revolving Credit Commitment, or, if less, the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Revolving Loans made by such Revolving Lender; provided that the failure of a Revolving Lender to request a Revolving Credit Note shall in no way detract from the Borrowers obligations to such Revolving Lender hereunder.



(b)Term Loan.  Upon the request of a Term Lender, to evidence the obligation of the Borrower to repay the portion of the Term Loan made by such Term Lender and to pay interest thereon, the Borrower shall execute a Term Note, payable to the order of such Term Lender in the principal amount of its Applicable Commitment Percentage of the Term Loan Commitment;

39


 

 

 

 

provided that the failure of such Term Lender to request a Term Note shall in no way detract from the Borrower’s obligations to such Term Lender hereunder.



Section 2.6Notice of Loans and Credit Events; Funding of Loans.



(a)Notice of Loans and Credit Events.  The Borrower, through an Authorized Officer, shall provide to the Administrative Agent a Notice of Loan prior to 1:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on the proposed date of borrowing of a  SOFR Loan (provided that the Administrative Agent may from time to time require that borrowing requests be made such number of days in advance as the Administrative Agent reasonably requires, not to exceed five (5) Business Days).    An Authorized Officer of the Borrower may verbally request a Loan, so long as a Notice of Loan signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower is received by the end of the same Business Day, and, if the Administrative Agent or any Lender provides funds or initiates funding based upon such verbal request, the Borrower shall bear the risk with respect to any information regarding such funding that is later determined to have been incorrectIf the Borrower has previously elected or hereafter elects to use the Administrative Agent’s automated electronic notice systems, including on-line loan management portal systems, automated credit sweep product systems, or other similar systems which the Administrative Agent may offer from time to time, any request made through such a system shall be deemed to be a complying Notice of Loan, provided that the Administrative Agent reserves the right, upon written notice to the Borrower, to require the notice period to be no less than the time period set forth above. As a condition to the Borrower using the Administrative Agent’s electronic notice systems as a Notice of Loan, the Borrower waives any claims relating to the Administrative Agent reserving its right to require a borrowing notice to be provided to the Administrative Agent five (5) SOFR Business Days prior to funding.    In addition, any Revolving Loans automatically funded into a disbursement account pursuant to a credit sweep arrangement between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall not require the delivery of a Notice of Loan. The Borrower shall comply with the notice provisions set forth in Section 2.2(b) hereof with respect to Letters of Credit.



(b)Funding of Loans.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the appropriate Lenders of the date and amount promptly upon the receipt of a Notice of Loan, and, in any event, by 2:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on the date such Notice of Loan is received.  On the date that the Credit Event set forth in such Notice of Loan is to occur, each such Lender shall provide to the Administrative Agent, not later than 3:00 P.M. (Eastern time), the amount in Dollars, in federal or other immediately available funds, required of it.  If the Administrative Agent shall elect to advance the proceeds of such Loan prior to receiving funds from such Lender, the Administrative Agent shall have the right, upon prior notice to the Borrower, to debit any account of the Borrower or otherwise receive such amount from the Borrower, promptly after demand, in the event that such Lender shall fail to reimburse the Administrative Agent in accordance with this subsection (b).  The Administrative Agent shall also have the right to receive interest from such Lender at the Federal Funds Effective Rate in the event that such Lender shall fail to provide its portion of the Loan on the date requested and the Administrative Agent shall elect to provide such funds.



40


 

 

 

 

Section 2.7Payment on Loans and Other Obligations.



(a)Payments Generally.  Each payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document by a Credit Party shall be made without any offset, abatement, recoupment, counterclaim, withholding or reduction whatsoever.



(b)Payments from the Borrower.  All payments (including prepayments) to the Administrative Agent of the principal of or interest on each Loan or other payment, including but not limited to principal, interest, fees or any other amount owed by the Borrower under this Agreement, shall be made in Dollars.  All payments described in this subsection (b) shall be remitted to the Administrative Agent, at the address of the Administrative Agent for notices referred to in Section 11.4 hereof for the account of the appropriate Lenders (or the Issuing Lender, as appropriate) not later than 1:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on the due date thereof in immediately available funds.  Any such payments received by the Administrative Agent (or the Issuing Lender) after 1:00 P.M. (Eastern time) shall be deemed to have been made and received on the next Business Day.



(c)Payments to Lenders.  Upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of payments hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall immediately distribute to the appropriate Lenders (except with respect to Letters of Credit, certain of which payments shall be paid to the Issuing Lender) their respective ratable shares, if any, of the amount of principal, interest, and commitment and other fees received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender.  Payments received by the Administrative Agent shall be delivered to the Lenders in immediately available funds.  Each appropriate Lender shall record any principal, interest or other payment, the principal amounts of Loans and Letters of Credit, all prepayments and the applicable dates, with respect to the Loans made, and payments received by such Lender, by such method as such Lender may generally employ; provided that failure to make any such entry shall in no way detract from the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement or any Note.  The aggregate unpaid amount of Loans, types of Loans, and similar information with respect to the Loans and Letters of Credit set forth on the records of the Administrative Agent shall be rebuttably presumptive evidence with respect to such information, including the amounts of principal, interest and fees owing to each Lender.



(d)Timing of Payments.  Whenever any payment to be made hereunder, including, without limitation, any payment to be made on any Loan, shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next Business Day and such extension of time shall in each case be included in the computation of the interest payable on such Loan.



Section 2.8Prepayment.



(a)Right to PrepayThe Borrower shall have the right at any time or from time to time to prepay, on a pro rata basis for all of the appropriate Lenders, all or any part of the principal amount of the Loans then outstanding representing the obligations under any Specific Commitment with the proceeds of such prepayment to be distributed on a pro rata basis to the holders of the Specific Commitment being prepaid.  Such payment shall include interest accrued on the amount so prepaid to the date of such prepayment and any amount payable under Article

41


 

 

 

 

III hereof with respect to the amount being prepaid.  Other than with respect to any breakage compensation under Article III hereof, prepayments of Loans shall be without any premium or penalty.  Each prepayment of the Term Loan shall be applied to the principal installments thereof in the inverse order of maturities.



(b)Notice of PrepaymentThe Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable written notice of prepayment of a Loan by no later than 1:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on the Business Day on which such prepayment is to be made.    Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Borrower has entered into a credit sweep arrangement with the Administrative Agent whereby the Administrative Agent has agreed to automatically fund Revolving Loans into a disbursement account, a notice of prepayment shall not be required with respect thereto.



Section 2.9Commitment and Other Fees.



(a)Commitment Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of the Revolving Lenders, as a consideration for the Revolving Credit Commitment, a commitment fee, for each day from the Closing Date through the last day of the Commitment Period, in an amount equal to (i) (A)  the Revolving Amount at the end of such day, minus (B) the Revolving Credit Exposure at the end of such day, multiplied by (ii) the Applicable Commitment Fee Rate in effect on such day divided by three hundred sixty (360).  The commitment fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears, commencing on March 31, 2023 and continuing on each Regularly Scheduled Payment Date thereafter, and on the last day of the Commitment Period.     



(b)Administrative Agent Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for its sole benefit, the fees set forth in the Administrative Agent Fee Letter.



(c)Authorization to Debit AccountThe Borrower hereby agrees that the Administrative Agent has the right to debit from any Deposit Account of the Borrower amounts and owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower under this Agreement and the Loan Documents for payment of fees, expenses and other amounts incurred or owing in connection therewith.



(d)Optional Reduction of Revolving Credit Commitment.  The Borrower may at any time and from time to time permanently reduce in whole or ratably in part the Revolving Amount to an amount not less than the then existing Revolving Credit Exposure, by giving the Administrative Agent not fewer than five Business Days’ written notice of such reduction, provided that any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount, for all of the Lenders, of not less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000), increased in increments of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000).  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Lender of the date of each such reduction and such Revolving Lender’s proportionate share thereof.  After each such partial reduction, the commitment fees payable hereunder shall be calculated upon the Revolving Amount as so reduced.  If the Borrower reduces in whole the Revolving Credit Commitment, on the effective date of such reduction (the Borrower having prepaid in full the unpaid principal balance, if any, of the Loans, together with all interest (if any) and commitment and other fees accrued and unpaid with respect thereto,  and provided that no Letter of Credit Exposure shall

42


 

 

 

 

exist), all of the Revolving Credit Notes shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent marked “Canceled” and the Administrative Agent shall redeliver such Revolving Credit Notes to the Borrower.  Any partial reduction in the Revolving Amount shall be effective during the remainder of the Commitment Period. 



Section 2.12Mandatory Payments.



(a)Revolving Credit ExposureIf, at any time, the Revolving Credit Exposure shall exceed the Revolving Credit Commitment, the Borrower shall, as promptly as practicable, but in no event later than the next Business Day, pay an aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans sufficient to bring the Revolving Credit Exposure within the Revolving Credit Commitment.



(b)Mandatory Prepayments.  The Borrower shall, until the Term Loan is paid in full, make Mandatory Prepayments (each a “Mandatory Prepayment”) in accordance with the following provisions:     



(i)Sale of Assets.  Upon the sale or other disposition of any assets by a Credit Party (permitted pursuant to Section 5.12 hereof) to any Person other than to another Credit Party or in the ordinary course of business, and, to the extent the proceeds of such sale or other disposition are in excess of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) during any fiscal year of the Borrower and are not to be reinvested in fixed assets or other similar assets within one hundred eighty (180) days of such sale or other disposition, the Borrower shall make a Mandatory Prepayment, on the date of such sale or other disposition, in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the proceeds of such disposition net of amounts required to pay taxes and reasonable costs applicable to such sale or disposition.    



(ii)Material Recovery Event.  Within ten (10) days after the occurrence of a Material Recovery Event, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent written notice thereof.  Within thirty (30) days after such Material Recovery Event, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of the Borrower’s determination as to whether or not to replace, rebuild or restore the affected property (a “Material Recovery Determination Notice”).  If the Borrower decides not to replace, rebuild or restore such property, or if the Borrower has not delivered the Material Recovery Determination Notice within thirty (30) days after such Material Recovery Event, then the proceeds of insurance paid in connection with such Material Recovery Event, when received, shall be paid as a Mandatory Prepayment.  If the Borrower decides to replace, rebuild or restore such property, then any such replacement, rebuilding or restoration must be (A) commenced within six (6) months of the date of the Material Recovery Event, and (B) substantially completed within twelve (12) months of such commencement date or such longer period of time necessary to complete the work with reasonable diligence and approved in writing by the Administrative Agent, in its reasonable discretion, with such casualty insurance proceeds and other funds available to the appropriate Companies for replacement, rebuilding or restoration of such property.  Any amounts of such insurance proceeds in connection with such Material Recovery Event not applied to the costs of replacement or restoration shall be applied as a Mandatory Prepayment.



43


 

 

 

 

(iii)Additional Indebtedness.  If, at any time, any of the Credit Parties shall incur Indebtedness other than Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 5.8 hereof (which other Indebtedness shall not be incurred without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders), the Borrower shall make a Mandatory Prepayment, on the date that such Indebtedness is incurred, in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the net cash proceeds of such Indebtedness, net of costs and expenses related thereto.



(c)Application of Mandatory Prepayments.  



(i)Involving a Company Prior to an Event of DefaultSo long as no Event of Default shall have occurred, each Mandatory Prepayment required to be made pursuant to subsection (c) hereof shall be applied (A) first, to the Term Loan until paid in full, and (B) second, to any outstanding Revolving Loans.



(ii)Involving a Company After an Event of Default.  If a Mandatory Prepayment is required to be made pursuant to subsection (b) hereof at the time that an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, then such Mandatory Prepayment shall be paid by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent to be applied to the following, on a pro rata basis among: (A) the Revolving Amount (with payments to be made in the following order: Revolving Loans and to be held by the Administrative Agent in a special account as security for any Letter of Credit Exposure pursuant to subsection (iii) hereof), and (B) the unpaid principal balance of the Term Loan.  Unless otherwise agreed by the Revolving Lenders, the Revolving Credit Commitment shall be permanently reduced by the amount of such Mandatory Prepayment allocated thereto, whether or not there shall be any Credit Exposure thereunder; provided that, if there shall be no Credit Exposure under any Specific Commitment, the then remaining Mandatory Prepayment shall be paid to the other Specific Commitments.



(iii)Involving Letters of Credit.  Any amounts to be distributed for application to a Revolving Lender’s liabilities with respect to any Letter of Credit Exposure as a result of a Mandatory Prepayment shall be held by the Administrative Agent in an interest bearing trust account (the “Special Trust Account”) as collateral security for such liabilities until a drawing on any Letter of Credit, at which time such amounts, together with interest accrued thereon, shall be released by the Administrative Agent and applied to such liabilities.  If any such Letter of Credit shall expire without having been drawn upon in full, the amounts held in the Special Trust Account with respect to the undrawn portion of such Letter of Credit, together with interest accrued thereon, shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the provisions of subsections (i) and (ii) above.



(d)Mandatory Payments GenerallyUnless otherwise designated by the Borrower, each Mandatory Prepayment made with respect to a Specific Commitment pursuant to Section 2.12(a) or (b) hereof shall be applied in the following order: (i) first, to the outstanding Base Rate Loans (if any), and (ii) second, to the outstanding SOFR Loans.  Any prepayment of a SOFR Loan pursuant to this Section 2.12 shall be subject to the prepayment provisions set forth in Article III

44


 

 

 

 

hereof.  Each Mandatory Prepayment made with respect to the Term Loan shall be applied to the payments of principal in the inverse order of maturities.



Section 2.13Cash Collateral.  At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one Business Day following the written request of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender (determined after giving effect to Section 11.10(a)(iv) hereof and any Cash Collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender) in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount.



(a)Grant of Security Interest.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Lender, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such Cash Collateral as security for the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of the Letter of Credit Exposure, to be applied pursuant to subsection (b) below.  If, at any time, the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency (after giving effect to any Cash Collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender). 



(b)Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under this Section 2.13 or Section 11.10 hereof in respect of Letters of Credit shall be applied to the satisfaction of the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of the Letter of Credit Exposure (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein. 



(c)Termination of Requirement.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce the Issuing Lender’s Fronting Exposure shall no longer be required to be held as Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.13 following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender), or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Lender that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided that (A) subject to Section 11.10 hereof, the Person providing Cash Collateral and the Issuing Lender may agree that Cash Collateral shall be held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations, and (B) the extent that such Cash Collateral was provided by the Borrower, such Cash Collateral shall remain subject to any security interest granted pursuant to the Loan Documents.



Section 2.14Swap Obligations Keepwell Provision.  The Borrower, to the extent that it is an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act, hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Credit Party in order for such Credit Party to honor its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of the Swap Obligations.  The obligations of the

45


 

 

 

 

Borrower under this Section 2.14 shall remain in full force and effect until all Secured Obligations are paid in full.  The Borrower intends that this Section 2.14 constitute, and this Section 2.14 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Credit Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.




ARTICLE III. INCREASED COSTS; ILLEGALITY; INABILITY TO DETERMINE RATES; TAXES



Section  3.1.  Requirements of Law.



(a)If any Change in Law shall:



(i)impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender or the Issuing Lender;



(ii)subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in subparts (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on any Loan, Letter of Credit, or commitment or other obligation hereunder, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or



(iii)impose on any Lender or the Issuing Lender or the London or other applicable offshore interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;



and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender, such Issuing Lender or such other Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan, or to increase the cost to such Lender, such Issuing Lender or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, Issuing Lender or other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, Issuing Lender or other Recipient, the Borrower will pay to such Lender, Issuing Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, Issuing Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.



(b)If any Lender or Issuing Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or Issuing Lender or any lending office of such Lender or such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the

46


 

 

 

 

Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by any Issuing Lender, to a level below that which such Lender or Issuing Lender or such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuing Lender, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Lender or such Lender’s or Issuing Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.



(c)A certificate of a Lender or Issuing Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or Issuing Lender, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.    The obligations of the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.    



Section 3.2.  Taxes.



(a)Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.



(i)Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Credit Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws.  If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the applicable Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding.



(ii)If any Withholding Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Withholding Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions, (B) such Withholding Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Credit Party shall be increased as necessary so that, after any required withholding or deductions for Indemnified Taxes have been made (including withholdings and deductions for Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.2), the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction for Indemnified Taxes been made.



(b)Payment of Other Taxes by the Credit Parties.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Credit Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law, or, at the option of the Administrative Agent, timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.



47


 

 

 

 

(c)Tax Indemnifications.



(i)Each of the Credit Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.2) payable or paid by such Recipient, or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. 



(ii)Each Lender and the Issuing Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, (A) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender or the Issuing Lender (but only to the extent that any Credit Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and, without limiting the obligation of the Credit Parties to do so), (B) the Administrative Agent and the Credit Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.9(d) hereof relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register, and (C) the Administrative Agent and the Credit Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender or the Issuing Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Credit Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender and the Issuing Lender hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the Issuing lender, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this subpart (ii).



(d)Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Credit Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 3.2, the Borrower or such Credit Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.



(e)Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.



(i)Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed

48


 

 

 

 

documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two (2) sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.2(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if, in the Lender’s reasonable judgment, such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense, or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.



(ii)Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,



(A)any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable written request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;



(B)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:



(1)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (y) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty, and (z) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable)  establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;



(2)executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;



(3)in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (y) a

49


 

 

 

 

usual and customary certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”), and (z) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable); or



(4)to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate in usual and customary form, IRS Form W-9, and other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if, the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate, in usual and customary form, on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;



(C)any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies (or originals, as required) of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and



(D)if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by Law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this subpart (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.



50


 

 

 

 

(iii)Each Lender agrees that if, any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.2 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.



(f)Treatment of Certain RefundsUnless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the Issuing Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as the case may be.    If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 3.2 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.2), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 3.2 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund).  Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this subsection (f) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection (f), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this subsection (f) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.



(g)Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.2 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the Issuing Lender, the termination of the Commitment and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.



(h)Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Section 3.2, the term “applicable Law” includes FATCA.



Section 3.3.  Funding Losses.  The Borrower shall compensate each Lender upon its written request (which request shall set forth the detailed basis for requesting and the method of calculating such compensation), for all reasonable losses, costs, expenses and liabilities (including, without limitation, any loss, cost, expense or liability incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds required by such Lender to fund its SOFR Loans) which such Lender may sustain in connection with any of the following: (a) if for any reason (other than a default by such Lender or the Administrative Agent) a borrowing of a SOFR Loan does not occur on a date specified therefor in a Notice of Loan or a continuation or conversion (whether or not withdrawn by the Borrower or deemed withdrawn pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.5 hereof); (b) if any repayment,

51


 

 

 

 

prepayment, conversion or continuation of any SOFR Loan occurs on a date that is not the last day of an interest period applicable thereto; (c) if any prepayment of any of its SOFR Loans is not made on any date specified in a notice of prepayment given by the Borrower; (d) as a result of an assignment by a Lender of any SOFR Loan other than on the last day of the interest period applicable thereto pursuant to a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.6 hereof or (e) as a consequence of (i) any other failure by the Borrower to repay or prepay any SOFR Loans when required by the terms of this Agreement or (ii) an election made pursuant to Section 3.6 hereof.  The written request of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall be delivered to the Borrower, together with a reasonably detailed calculation and description of such amounts, and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such request within thirty (30) days after receipt thereof.  The obligations of the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.



Section 3.4.  Change of Lending Office.  Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Section 3.1 or 3.2(a) hereof with respect to such Lender, it will, if requested by the Borrower, use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another lending office (or an Affiliate of such Lender, if practical for such Lender) for any Loans affected by such event with the object of avoiding the consequences of such event; provided, that such designation is made on terms that, in the sole judgment of such Lender, cause such Lender and its lending office(s) to suffer no economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage; and provided, further, that nothing in this Section 3.4 shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.1 or 3.2(a) hereof.



Section 3.5.  SOFR Rate Lending Unlawful; Inability to Determine Rate.



(a)If the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall, upon notice thereof to the Borrower, be conclusive and binding on the Borrower) that, after the Closing Date, (i) the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any Law makes it unlawful, or (ii) any Governmental Authority asserts that it is unlawful, for a Lender to make, fund or maintain any advance at a SOFR Rate, (A) the obligations of any Lender to make, fund or maintain SOFR Loans shall, upon such determination, be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist, (B) the Borrower shall not be entitled to select a SOFR Rate for borrowings, and (c) all Loans shall be Base Rate Loans.



(b)If the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower) that “Daily Simple SOFR” cannot be determined pursuant to the definition thereof other than due to a Benchmark Transition Event, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower.  Upon notice thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, (i) any obligation of the Lenders to make or continue SOFR Loans shall be suspended, (ii) all SOFR Loans shall be immediately converted to Base Rate Loans and (iii) any Loans thereafter advanced will bear interest at the Derived Base Rate.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of

52


 

 

 

 

SOFR Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.



(c)If the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower) that “Daily Simple SOFR” cannot be determined pursuant to the definition thereof as a result of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower, and the provisions of Section 3.8 hereof shall be applicable.  Upon notice thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, (i) any obligation of the Lenders to make or continue SOFR Loans shall be suspended, (ii) all SOFR Loans shall be immediately converted to Base Rate Loans and (iii) any Loans thereafter advanced will bear interest at the Derived Base Rate.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.  Unless and until the Administrative Agent and the Borrower have amended this Agreement to provide for a Benchmark Replacement in accordance with Section 3.8 hereof, all Loans shall be Base Rate Loans.



Section 3.6.  Replacement of Lenders.  The Borrower shall be permitted to replace any Lender that requests reimbursement for amounts owing pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section 3.2(a) or (c) hereof, or asserts its inability to make a SOFR Loan pursuant to Section 3.5 hereof; provided that (a) such replacement does not conflict with any Law, (b) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement, (c) prior to any such replacement, such Lender shall have taken no action under Section 3.4 hereof so as to eliminate the continued need for payment of amounts owing pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section 3.2(a) or (c) hereof or, if it has taken any action, such request has still been made, (d) the replacement financial institution shall purchase, at par, all Loans and other amounts owing to such replaced Lender on or prior to the date of replacement and assume all commitments and obligations of such replaced Lender, (e) the Borrower shall be liable to such replaced Lender under Section 3.3 hereof, (f) the replacement Lender, if not already a Lender, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (g) the replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.9 hereof (provided that the Borrower (or the succeeding Lender, if such Lender is willing) shall be obligated to pay the assignment fee referred to therein), and (h) until such time as such replacement shall be consummated, the Borrower shall pay all additional amounts (if any) required pursuant to Section 3.1 or Section 3.2(a) or (c) hereof, as the case may be; provided that a Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to replace such Lender cease to apply.



Section 3.7.  Discretion of Lenders as to Manner of Funding.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, each Lender shall be entitled to fund and maintain its funding of all or any part of such Lender’s Loans in any manner such Lender deems to be appropriate.



Section 3.8. Permanent Inability to Determine Rate; Benchmark Replacement



53


 

 

 

 

(a)Benchmark Replacement.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement. Any such amendment with respect to a Benchmark Transition Event will become effective at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Administrative Agent has posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. No replacement of the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to this Section 3.8 hereof will occur prior to the applicable Benchmark Transition Start Date. Unless and until a Benchmark Replacement is effective in accordance with this clause (a), all Loans shall be converted into Base Rate Loans in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.5 hereof.



(b)Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.  In connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.



(c)Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement and the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.  The Administrative Agent will notify the Borrower of the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or Lenders pursuant to this Section 3.8, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 3.8.





ARTICLE IV.  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT



Section  4.1.  Conditions to Each Credit Event.  The obligation of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender to participate in any Credit Event shall be conditioned, in the case of each Credit Event, upon the following:



(a)all conditions precedent as listed in Section 4.2 hereof required to be satisfied prior to the first Credit Event shall have been satisfied prior to or as of such Credit Event;



(b)the Borrower shall have submitted a Notice of Loan (other than for any Revolving Loans automatically funded into a disbursement account pursuant to a credit sweep arrangement between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) or, with respect to a Letter of Credit,

54


 

 

 

 

complied with the provisions of Section 2.2(b)(ii) hereof and otherwise complied with Section 2.6 hereof;



(c)no Default or Event of Default shall then exist or immediately after such Credit Event would exist; and



(d)each of the representations and warranties contained in Article VI hereof shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, as to any representations and warranties which are subject to a materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifier, true and correct in all respects) as if made on and as of the date of such Credit Event, except to the extent that any thereof expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, as to any representations and warranties which are subject to a materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifier, true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date.



Each request by the Borrower for a Credit Event shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower as of the date of such request as to the satisfaction of the conditions precedent specified in subsections (c) and (d) above.



Section 4.2.  Conditions to the First Credit EventThe Borrower shall cause the following conditions to be satisfied on or prior to the Closing Date.  The obligation of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender to participate in the first Credit Event is subject to the Borrower satisfying each of the following conditions prior to or concurrently with such Credit Event:



(a)Notes as RequestedThe Borrower shall have executed and delivered to (i) each Revolving Lender requesting a Revolving Credit Note such Lender’s Revolving Credit Note,  and (ii) each Term Lender requesting a Term Note such Term Lender’s Term Note.



(b)Guarantor of Payment Documents.  Each Guarantor of Payment shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent (i) a Guaranty of Payment, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (ii) a Security Agreement and such other documents or instruments, as may be required by the Administrative Agent to create or perfect the Liens of the Administrative Agent in the assets of such Guarantor of Payment, all to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.



(c)Pledge AgreementsThe Borrower and each Guarantor of Payment that has a Subsidiary shall have (i) executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a Pledge Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with respect to the Pledged Securities, (ii) executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, appropriate transfer powers for each of the Pledged Securities that are certificated, and (iii) delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, the Pledged Securities (to the extent such Pledged Securities are certificated).  



(d)Intellectual Property Security Agreements.  Each Credit Party that owns federally registered intellectual property shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, an Intellectual Property Security Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.      

55


 

 

 

 

(e)Lien SearchesWith respect to each Credit Party and its property, the Borrower shall have caused to be delivered to the Administrative Agent (i) the results of Uniform Commercial Code lien searches, satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (ii) the results of federal and state tax lien and judicial lien searches and pending litigation and bankruptcy searches, in each case satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, and (iii) Uniform Commercial Code termination statements reflecting termination of all U.C.C. Financing Statements previously filed by any Person and not expressly permitted pursuant to Section 5.9 hereof.



(f)Officer’s Certificate, Resolutions, Organizational DocumentsThe Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s or secretary’s certificate certifying the names of the officers of each Credit Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents, together with the true signatures of such officers and certified copies of (i) the resolutions of the board of directors (or comparable documents) of such Credit Party evidencing approval of the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents and the execution, delivery and performance of other Related Writings to which such Credit Party is a party, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, and (ii) the Organizational Documents of such Credit Party.



(g)Good Standing and Full Force and Effect CertificatesThe Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a good standing certificate or full force and effect certificate (or comparable domestic document, if neither certificate is available in the applicable jurisdiction), as the case may be, for each Credit Party, issued on or about the Closing Date by the Secretary of State (or applicable government official or office) in the state where such Credit Party is incorporated or formed.



(h)Legal OpinionThe Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent opinions of counsel for each Credit Party, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.



(i)Insurance Certificates.  The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent certificates of insurance on ACORD 25 and 27 or 28 form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, providing for adequate personal property and liability insurance for each Company, with the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, listed as, lender’s loss payee and additional insured, as appropriate.



(j)Advertising Permission LetterThe Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an advertising permission letter, authorizing the Administrative Agent to publicize the transaction and specifically to use the name of the Borrower in connection with “tombstone” advertisements in one or more publications selected by the Administrative Agent.



(k)Administrative Agent Fee Letter and Other Fees.  The Borrower shall have (i) executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent Fee Letter and paid to the Administrative Agent, for its sole account, the fees stated therein, and (ii) paid all legal fees and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation and negotiation of the Loan Documents.



56


 

 

 

 

(l)Closing and Solvency CertificateThe Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate certifying that, as of the Closing Date, (i) all conditions precedent set forth in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof have been satisfied, (ii) no Default or Event of Default exists or immediately after the first Credit Event will exist, (iii) each of the representations and warranties contained in Article VI hereof are true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, (v) no Material Adverse Effect has occurred since August 31, 2022,  and (v) the Borrower is Solvent.



(m)Existing Credit Agreement.  The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an executed payoff letter with respect to the Credit Agreement between the Borrower and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a national banking association, dated as of August 7, 2019, as amended, and shall have terminated such agreement which termination shall be deemed to have occurred upon payment in full of all of the Indebtedness outstanding thereunder and termination of the commitments established therein.



(n)Letter of Direction.  The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a letter of direction authorizing the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, to disburse the proceeds of the Loans, which letter of direction includes the authorization to transfer funds under this Agreement and the wire instructions that set forth the locations to which such funds shall be sent.



(o)KYC InformationUpon the request of any Lender, the Borrower shall have provided to such Lender (i) the documentation and other information so requested in connection with applicable “know your customer” and anti‑money‑laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act, and (ii) if any Credit Party qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, a Beneficial Ownership Certification, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.



(p)No Material Adverse ChangeNo material adverse change, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, shall have occurred in the financial condition, operations or prospects of the Companies since August 31, 2022.



(q)Miscellaneous.  The Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders such other items and shall have satisfied such other conditions as may be reasonably required by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders



Section 4.3Post-Closing Conditions.  On or before each of the dates specified in this Section 4.3 (unless a longer period is agreed to in writing by the Administrative Agent,  in its reasonable discretion), the Borrower shall satisfy each of the following items specified in the subsections below:



(a)Deposit AccountsNo later than ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, the Credit Parties shall close each Deposit Account maintained by a Credit Party at any financial institution other than the Administrative Agent,  other than (i) Deposit Accounts permitted to remain open pursuant to the terms of Section 5.21(d)(i) hereof, which Deposit Accounts as of the Closing Date are identified as such on Schedule 6.19 hereto (for the avoidance of doubt the Borrower shall not

57


 

 

 

 

be required during such ninety (90) day period to deliver a Control Agreement with respect to such Deposit Accounts), and (ii) the Deposit Account of the Borrower held at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. numbered x4235, so long as (A) such Deposit Account is swept to a Deposit Account of the Borrower held at the Administrative Agent each time the balance therein reaches Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) and in any event no less frequently than once per calendar month, and (B) such Deposit Account is closed no later than two hundred seventy (270) days after the Closing Date.



(b)Lien Termination. Concurrently with the closing of the Deposit Account of the Borrower held at Zions First National Bank numbered x8002, and in any event no later than ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a filed copy of an effective UCC-3 financing statement termination with respect to filing number 312076200702 filed with the Utah Divisions of Corporations and Commercial Code naming Zions First National Bank as secured party and the Borrower as debtor.



(c)Collateral Access AgreementsNo later than forty-five (45) days after the Closing Date,  the Borrower shall deliver a Collateral Access Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, for each location of a Credit Party where any of the collateral securing any part of the Obligations is located, unless such location is owned by the Company that owns the collateral located there.



(d)Insurance EndorsementsNo later than thirty (30) days after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent insurance policy endorsements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent providing for adequate personal property and liability insurance for each Company, with the Administrative Agent listed as lender’s loss payee and additional insured, as applicable.



(e)Pledged Securities (Foreign Subsidiaries). No later than ten (10) Business Days after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, the Pledged Securities (to the extent such Pledged Securities are certificated) representing the equity interests in Foreign Subsidiaries owned by the Credit Parties and shall have provided the information regarding such Pledged Securities for purposes of Schedule 3 hereof.





ARTICLE V.  COVENANTS



Section 5.1.  InsuranceEach Company shall at all times maintain insurance upon its Inventory, Equipment and other personal and real property (including, if applicable, insurance required by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994) in such form, written by such companies, in such amounts, for such periods, and against such risks as may be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, with provisions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent for, with respect to Credit Parties, payment of all losses thereunder to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, and such Credit Party as their interests may appear (with lender’s loss payable and additional insured endorsements, as appropriate, in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders), and, if required by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall furnish copies of the policies to the Administrative Agent.  Any such

58


 

 

 

 

policies of insurance shall provide for no fewer than thirty (30) days prior written notice of cancellation to the Administrative Agent.  Any sums received by the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, in payment of insurance losses, returns, or unearned premiums under the policies shall be applied as set forth in Section 2.12(c) and (d) hereofThe Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to act as attorney-in-fact for the Companies, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, in obtaining, adjusting, settling and canceling such insurance and indorsing any drafts.  In the event of failure to provide such insurance as herein provided, the Administrative Agent may, at its option, provide such insurance and the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, upon demand, the cost thereof.  Should the Borrower fail to pay such sum to the Administrative Agent upon demand, interest shall accrue thereon, from the date of demand until paid in full, at the Default Rate.  Within ten (10) days of the Administrative Agent’s written request, the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent such information about the insurance of the Companies as the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request, which information shall be prepared in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and certified by a Financial Officer.



Section 5.2.  Money ObligationsEach Company shall pay in full (a) prior in each case to the date when penalties would attach, all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges and levies (except only those so long as and to the extent that the same shall be contested in good faith by appropriate and timely proceedings and for which adequate provisions have been established in accordance with GAAP) for which it may be or become liable or to which any or all of its properties may be or become subject; (b) all of its material wage obligations to its employees in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. §§ 206‑207) or any comparable provisions;  and (c) all of its other material obligations calling for the payment of money (except only those so long as and to the extent that the same shall be contested in good faith and for which adequate provisions have been established in accordance with GAAP) before such payment becomes overdue.



Section 5.3.  Financial Statements and Information.



(a)Quarterly Financials.  The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, within sixty (60) days after the end of each quarterly period of each fiscal year of the Borrower, balance sheets of the Companies as of the end of such period and statements of income (loss), stockholders’ equity and cash flow for the fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date periods, all prepared on a Consolidated basis, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and certified by a Financial Officer.



(b)Annual Audit Report.  The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, an annual audit report of the Companies for that year prepared on a Consolidated basis, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and certified by an unqualified opinion of an independent public accountant satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, which report shall include balance sheets and statements of income (loss), stockholders’ equity and cash-flow for that period. 



59


 

 

 

 

(c)Compliance Certificate.  The Borrower shall deliver a Compliance Certificate to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements set forth (i) in subsection (b) above, and (ii) in subsection (a) above for each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower.



(d)Management Reports.  The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, concurrently with the delivery of the quarterly and annual financial statements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) above, a copy of any management report, letter or similar writing furnished to the Companies by the accountants in respect of the systems, operations, financial condition or properties of the Companies.



(e)Annual BudgetThe Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, within sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, an annual budget of the Companies for the then current fiscal year, to be in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.



(f)Financial Information of the CompaniesThe Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, promptly upon the written request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, such other information about the financial condition, properties and operations of any Company as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may from time to time reasonably request, which information shall be submitted in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or such Lender and certified by a Financial Officer of the Company or Companies in question



Section 5.4.  Financial Records.  Each Company shall at all times maintain true and complete records and books of account, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, appropriate provisions for possible losses and liabilities, all in accordance with GAAP, and at all reasonable times (during normal business hours and, other than during the continuance of an Event of Default, upon reasonable notice to such Company) permit the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or any representative of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, to examine such Companys books and records and to make excerpts therefrom and transcripts thereof.



Section 5.5.  Franchises; Change in Business



(a)Each Company (other than a Dormant Subsidiary) shall preserve and maintain at all times its existence, and its rights and franchises necessary for its business (except as otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 5.12 hereof).



(b)No Company shall engage in any business if, as a result thereof, the general nature of the businesses of the Companies taken as a whole would be substantially changed from the general nature of the businesses the Companies are engaged in on the Closing Date.



Section 5.6.  ERISA Pension and Benefit Plan ComplianceNo Company shall incur any material accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of ERISA, or any material liability to the PBGC, established thereunder in connection with any ERISA Plan.  The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (a) as soon as possible and in any event within thirty (30) days after any Company knows or has reason to know that any Reportable Event with respect to any ERISA Plan has occurred, a statement of a Financial Officer of such Company,

60


 

 

 

 

setting forth details as to such Reportable Event and the action that such Company proposes to take with respect thereto, together with a copy of the notice of such Reportable Event given to the PBGC if a copy of such notice is available to such Company, and (b) promptly after receipt thereof, a copy of any notice such Company, or any member of the Controlled Group may receive from the PBGC or the Internal Revenue Service with respect to any ERISA Plan administered by such Company; provided that this latter subpart shall not apply to notices of general application promulgated by the PBGC or the Internal Revenue Service.  The Borrower shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any material taxes assessed, proposed to be assessed or that the Borrower has reason to believe may be assessed against a Company by the Internal Revenue Service with respect to any ERISA Plan.  As used in this Section 5.6, “material” means the measure of a matter of significance that shall be determined as being an amount equal to five percent (5%) of Consolidated Net Worth.  As soon as practicable, and in any event within twenty (20) days, after any Company shall become aware that an ERISA Event shall have occurred, such Company shall provide the Administrative Agent with notice of such ERISA Event with a certificate by a Financial Officer of such Company setting forth the details of the event and the action such Company or another Controlled Group member proposes to take with respect thereto.  The Borrower shall, at the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, deliver or cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, true and correct copies of any documents relating to the ERISA Plan of any Company.



Section  5.7.  Financial Covenants. 



(a)Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower shall not suffer or permit at any time the Leverage Ratio, as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, to exceed 3.00 to 1.00.



(b)Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.  The Borrower shall not suffer or permit at any time the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, to be less than 1.15 to 1.00.   



Section 5.8.  Borrowing.  No Company shall create, incur or have outstanding any Indebtedness of any kind; provided that this Section 5.8 shall not apply to the following:    



(a)the Loans, the Letters of Credit and any other Indebtedness under this Agreement;



(b)any loans granted to, or Capitalized Lease Obligations entered into by, any Company for the purchase or lease of fixed assets (and refinancings of such loans or Capitalized Lease Obligations), which loans and Capitalized Lease Obligations shall only be secured by the fixed assets being purchased or leased, so long as the aggregate principal amount of all such loans and Capitalized Lease Obligations for all Companies (including those outstanding as of the Closing Date) shall not exceed Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) at any time outstanding;



(c)the Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date as set forth in Schedule 5.8 hereto (and any extension, renewal or refinancing thereof but only to the extent that the principal amount thereof does not increase after the Closing Date);



61


 

 

 

 

(d)loans to, and guaranties of Indebtedness of, a Company from a Company so long as each such Company is a Credit Party;



(e)Indebtedness under any Hedge Agreement, so long as such Hedge Agreement shall have been entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;  



(f)  other unsecured Indebtedness, in addition to the Indebtedness listed above, in an aggregate principal amount for all Companies not to exceed One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) at any time outstanding.



Section 5.9.  Liens.  No Company shall create, assume or suffer to exist (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any Lien upon any of its property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired; provided that this Section 5.9 shall not apply to the following:     



(a)Liens for taxes, assessments and other governmental charges or levies not yet delinquent or that are being actively contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves shall have been established in accordance with GAAP;



(b)other statutory Liens, including, without limitation, statutory Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, utilities, mechanics, repairmen, workers and materialmen, incidental to the conduct of its business or the ownership of its property and assets that (i) were not incurred in connection with the incurring of Indebtedness or the obtaining of advances or credit, and (ii) do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of its property or assets or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of its business;



(c)any Lien granted to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders (and Affiliates thereof);



(d)the Liens existing on the Closing Date as set forth in Schedule 5.9 hereto and replacements, extensions, renewals, refundings or refinancings thereof, but only to the extent that the amount of debt secured thereby, and the amount and description of the property subject to such Liens, shall not be increased;



(e)purchase money Liens on fixed assets securing the loans and Capitalized Lease Obligations pursuant to Section 5.8(b) hereof, provided that such Liens are limited to the purchase price and only attaches to the property being acquired;



(f)encumbrances in the nature of zoning restrictions, easements and rights, restrictions of record on the use of real property or minor defects or irregularities in title of real property not interfering in any material respect with the use of such property in the business of any Company;



(g)Liens arising out of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 8.8 hereof;



62


 

 

 

 

(h)Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off, recoupment or similar rights, including Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-210 of the U.C.C.;



(i)Liens arising in the ordinary course of business on amounts deposited to secure any Company’s obligations in connection with worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance or other social security, old age pension or public liability obligations; and



(j)  other Liens, in addition to the Liens listed above, not incurred in connection with the incurring of Indebtedness, securing amounts, in the aggregate for all Companies, not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) at any time outstanding.



No Company shall enter into any contract or agreement (other than a contract or agreement entered into in connection with the purchase or lease of fixed assets that prohibits Liens on such fixed assets) that would prohibit the Administrative Agent or the Lenders from acquiring a security interest, mortgage or other Lien on, or a collateral assignment of, any of the property or assets of such Company.



Section 5.10.  Regulations T, U and X.  No Company shall take any action that would result in any non‑compliance of the Loans or Letters of Credit with Regulations T, U or X, or any other applicable regulation, of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.



Section 5.11.  Investments, Loans and Guaranties.  No Company shall (a) create, acquire or hold any Subsidiary, (b) make or hold any investment in any stocks, bonds or securities of any kind, (c) be or become a party to any joint venture or other partnership, (d) make or keep outstanding any advance or loan to any Person, or (e) be or become a Guarantor of any kind (other than a Guarantor of Payment under the Loan Documents); provided that this Section 5.11 shall not apply to the following:  



(i)any endorsement of a check or other medium of payment for deposit or collection through normal banking channels or similar transaction in the normal course of business;



(ii) any investment in direct obligations of the United States or in certificates of deposit issued by a member bank (having capital resources in excess of Five Hundred Million Dollars ($500,000,000)) of the Federal Reserve System;



(iii)any investment in commercial paper or securities that at the time of such investment is assigned the highest quality rating in accordance with the rating systems employed by either Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s;



(iv)the holding of each of the Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 6.1 hereto, and the creation, acquisition and holding of and any investment in any new Subsidiary after the Closing Date so long as such new Subsidiary shall have been created, acquired or held, and investments made, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement;



63


 

 

 

 

(v)loans to, investments in and guaranties of the Indebtedness (permitted under Section 5.8(d) hereof) of, a Company from or by a Company so long as each such Company is a Credit Party; and



(vi)any advance or loan to an officer or employee of a Company as an advance on commissions, travel and other items in the ordinary course of business, so long as all such advances and loans from all Companies aggregate not more than the maximum principal sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) at any time outstanding.



For purposes of this Section 5.11, the amount of any investment in equity interests shall be based upon the initial amount invested and shall not include any appreciation in value or return on such investment but shall take into account repayments, redemptions and return of capital.



Section 5.12.  Merger and Sale of Assets.  No Company shall merge, amalgamate or consolidate with any other Person, or sell, lease or transfer or otherwise dispose of any assets to any Person other than in the ordinary course of business, except that, if no Default or Event of Default shall then exist or immediately thereafter shall begin to exist: 



(a)a Company (other than the Borrower) may merge with (i) the Borrower (provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person) or (ii) any one or more Guarantors of Payment (provided that at least one Guarantor of Payment shall be the continuing or surviving Person);



(b)a Company (other than the Borrower) may sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets to (i) the Borrower or (ii) any Guarantor of Payment;



(c)a Company (other than a Credit Party) may (i) merge with or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets to any other Company and (ii) may, following the transfer of substantially all of its assets to another Company, voluntarily dissolve or liquidate;



(d)a Company may sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any assets that are obsolete or no longer useful in such Company’s business; and



(e)a Dormant Subsidiary may be dissolved.



Section 5.13.    Acquisitions.  No Company shall effect an Acquisition; provided that a Company may effect an Acquisition so long as: 



(a)in the case of an Acquisition that involves a merger, amalgamation or other combination including the Borrower, the Borrower shall be the surviving entity;



(b)in the case of an Acquisition that involves a merger, amalgamation or other combination including a Credit Party (other than the Borrower), a Credit Party shall be the surviving entity;



64


 

 

 

 

(c)the business to be acquired shall be similar, or related to, or incidental to the lines of business of the Companies;



(d)such Acquisition is not actively opposed by the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the selling Persons or the Persons whose equity interests are to be acquired;



(e)no Default or Event of Default shall exist prior to or, after giving pro forma effect to such Acquisition, thereafter shall begin to exist;



(f)after giving pro forma effect to such Acquisition, the Borrower is in compliance with the Leverage Ratio and Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio then in effect pursuant to Section 5.7 hereof;



(g)the aggregate Consideration paid or to be payable for all such Acquisitions during any fiscal year of the Borrower does not exceed Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000); and



(h)on or prior to the closing date for such Acquisition, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate of the Borrower, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Lender, certifying that all of the applicable requirements set forth in subparts (a) through (g) above have been satisfied or will be satisfied on or prior to the consummation of such Acquisition, together with executed copies of the Acquisition documents.



Section 5.14Notice.    The Borrower shall cause a Financial Officer to promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, in writing, whenever any of the following shall occur:



(a)a Default or Event of Default may occur, or has occurred, hereunder or any representation or warranty made in Article VI hereof or elsewhere in this Agreement or in any Related Writing for any reason ceases in any material respect to be true and complete;



(b)the Borrower learns of a litigation or proceeding against the Borrower before a court, administrative agency or arbitrator that, if successful, might have a Material Adverse Effect; or



(c)the Borrower learns that there has occurred or begun to exist any event, condition or thing that is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.  



Section 5.15.  R

Payments.  No Company shall make or commit itself to make any Restricted Payment at any time, except that a Company may make Capital Distributions so long as (a) no Default or Event of Default shall then exist or, after giving pro forma effect to such payment, thereafter shall begin to exist, and (b) the Borrower is in compliance with the Leverage Ratio (as set forth in Section 5.7(a) hereof) and the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (as set forth in Section 5.7(b) hereof) both before and after giving pro forma effect to such Capital Distribution.



65


 

 

 

 

Environmental ComplianceEach Company shall comply with any and all Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws in jurisdictions in which such Company owns or operates a facility or site, arranges for disposal or treatment of hazardous substances, solid waste or other wastes, accepts for transport any hazardous substances, solid waste or other wastes or holds any interest in real property or otherwise.  The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, promptly after receipt thereof, a copy of any notice any Company may receive from any Governmental Authority or private Person, or otherwise, that any material litigation or proceeding pertaining to any environmental, health or safety matter has been filed or is threatened against such Company, any real property in which such Company holds any interest or any past or present operation of such Company.  No Company shall allow the release or disposal of hazardous waste, solid waste or other wastes on, under or to any real property in which any Company holds any ownership interest or performs any of its operations, in violation of any Environmental Law.  As used in this Section 5.16, “litigation or proceeding” means any demand, claim, notice, suit, suit in equity action, administrative action, investigation or inquiry whether brought by any Governmental Authority or private Person, or otherwise.   The Borrower shall defend, indemnify and hold the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless against all costs, expenses, claims, damages, penalties and liabilities of every kind or nature whatsoever (including attorneys’ fees) arising out of or resulting from the noncompliance of any Company with any Environmental Law.  Such indemnification shall survive any termination of this Agreement.



Section 5.17Affiliate TransactionsNo Company shall, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions (including, without limitation, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate of a Company (other than a Company that is a Credit Party) on terms that shall be less favorable to such Company than those that might be obtained at the time in a transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate of a Company; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the payment of customary and reasonable directors’ fees to directors who are not employees of a Company or an Affiliate of a Company.



Section 5.18.  Use of ProceedsThe Borrowers use of the proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit shall be for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the Companies, for the refinancing of existing Indebtedness, and for fees and expenses associated with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, Affiliate, joint venture partner or other Person, (a) (i) to fund activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is, or whose government is, a Sanctioned Country, or (ii) in any other manner that would result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the Loans, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor, or otherwise); or (b) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of Anti-Corruption Laws.



Section 5.19.    Corporate Names and Locations of Collateral.  No Company shall (a) change its corporate name, or (b) change its state, province or other jurisdiction, or